-JBB 


3  1822  01043  6368 


alifornia 

ional 

lity 


STELLA  ROSEVELT, 


\ 
tf  outl. 


BY 

MRS.  GEORGIE  SHELDON. 

AUTHOR   OF 

"BROWNIE'S    TRIUMPH,"    "THE    FORSAKEN  BRIDE,* 

*'•  LOST— A  PEARLE/'  "  EARLE  WAYNE'S 

NOBILITY,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


MSfc 


NEW   YORK: 
fir.    W.    Dillingham     Co., 


Copyright,  1883  and  1890 
By  STREET  &  SMITH 

Stella  RoseveU 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

I.._ON  THE  ATLANTIC 9 

II.— SAVED 19 

III.— THE  YOUNG  STRANGER 30 

IV.— MRS.  RICHARDS , 38 

V.— BITTER  DISAPPOINTMENT 47 

VI.— STELLA'S  APPEAL 57 

VII.— A  CONSULTATION 68 

VIII.— RETRENCHMENT 76 

IX.— CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE 89 

X. — THE  UNWELCOME  GUEST 97 

XI. — FILTHY  LUCRE 104 

XII.— THE  CAMEO  RING 114 

XIII.-  -A  GLAD  MEETING ^ 124 

XIV.—"  LET  ME  DEPICT  YOUR  FUTURE." 135 

XV.— A  FATAL  MISTAKE 146 

XVI. — A  GREAT  SHOCK 154 

XVII.—"  WHY  HAS  HE  DONE  THIS  THING?" 162 

XVIII.— EXPLANATIONS 175 

XIX.— MALICIOUS  FALSEHOODS 188 

XX.— STAR'S  DETERMINATION 198 

XXL— FRUITLESS  EFFORTS !   212 

XXII.—  THE  GOAL  REACHED..  .  222 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER.  PAG*. 

XXIII. — AN  INTERESTING  STORY 234 

XXIV.— WHAT  NEXT  ? 248 

XXV.— STAR'S  DELIGHT 258 

XXVI.— "WHAT  DOES  THIS  MEAN?" 265 

XXVII.— DEFEATED 273 

UXVIII. — RESCUED  FROM  A  HORRIBLE  FATE 279 

XXIX. — JOSEPHINE'S  INGRATITUDE 288 

XXX. — " I  LOVE  HIM  STILL." 294 

XXXI. — A  NOBLE  RESOLUTION , 301 

XXXII.— "  I  PROMISE." 308 

XXXIII.— "  You  ARE  THE  TRAITOR." 316 

XXXIV.— MUTUAL  EXPLANATIONS 325 

XXXV. — MRS.  RICHARDS'  GRKAT  EXPECTATIONS. 330 

XXXVI.— JOSEPHINE'S  AMBITION , 337 

XXXVII.— THE  MOCK  MARRIAGE ; 345 

XXXVIII.—" I  HAVE  BEEN  MAD." 353 

XXXIX.— A  CRUSHING  BLOW 363 

XL. — STELLA'S  MENTAL  AGONY , , . .  371 

XLI. — REHEARSING  THE  PAST 382 

XLII. — THE  LAWYER'S  REBUKE 393 

XLIII. — "  GOD  BLESS  OUR  STAR." »» »» .  403 

XLIV.— FAITH'S  TRIUMPH 414 


STELLA  ROSEVELT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ON    THE     ATLANTIC. 

"A  star 

Which  moves  not  'mid  the  moving  heavens  alone, 
A  smile  among  dark  frowns — a  gentle  tone 
Among  rude  voices,  a  beloved  light, 
A  solitude,  a  refuge,  a  delight." — SHELLEY. 

A  noble  steamer  was  laboriously  plowing  the  turbulent  waters 
of  the  great  Atlantic,  heaving,  and  struggling,  and  creaking 
with  every  revolution  of  her  gigantic  screw,  for  the  waves  were 
rolling  high — "  mountain  high  " — in  very  truth.  The  huge  dark 
masses  of  water  would  swell  and  rise  up  like  a  great  black  wall, 
reaching,  it  seemed,  almost  to  the  angry,  leaden  sky  above, 
then  sleeping  down  with  mighty  force,  thunder  upon  the  decks 
of  that  great  vessel,  making  it  shudder  to  its  very  center,  send 
ing  it  down,  down  into  the  yawning  depths,  as  if  eager,  in 
venomous  spite,  to  blot  it  out  of  existence. 

There  were  very  few  first  cabin  passengers  on  board  the • 

as  she  thus  labored  on  her  weary  way  between  Liverpool  and 
New  York,  for  it  was  late  in  the  year,  and  the  rush  of  travel 
was  over  for  that  season. 

Fifteen  were  all  they  numbered,  while  there  were  about  twice 


J0  ON    THE    ATLANTIC. 

as  many  in  the  steerage ;  and  well  it  was  that  there  were  no 
more  to  share  the  horrors  of  that  dreadful  voyage. 

It  had  been  a  very  gloomy  passage,  a  severe  storm  arising  the 
second  day  out,  which  had  increased  in  violence  until  now — the 
fifth  day — it  appeared  as  if  all  the  elements  had  conspired  to 
work  destruction  upon  the  stanch  ship  which  was  faithfully 
battling  with  the  cruel  waves  and  toiling  to  bear  its  precious 
freight  of  human  souls  safely  into  port 

It  was  a  for'orn  little  company  that  sat  shivering  and  trem 
bling  in  the  close  saloon — only  five,  all  out  of  the  fifteen  who 
had  not  succumbed  to  the  seasickness — and  these  five  had  the 
appearance,  with  their  pale,  pinched  faces,  their  heavy  eyes  and 
disordered  attire,  of  feeling  anything  but  comfortable  or  well. 

An  old  man  of  perhaps  sixty  years,  his  hair  and  beard  white 
as  snow,  his  face  sallow  and  wrinkled,  his  eyes  anxious  and 
sunken,  sat  upon  the  floor — indeed,  it  was  impossible  to  sit 
anywhere  else — braced  against  a  stationary  seat,  and  clinging  to 
one  of  the  iron  posts  which  supported  the  roof  of  the  saloon. 
He  was  wrapped  in  a  heavy  shawl  and  two  elegant  rugs ;  his 
soft  hat  was  drawn  down  over  his  forehead,  and  he  seemed 
entirely  oblivious  of  everything  about  him. 

Two  spinsters,  companions  and  sisters,  lay  upon  cushions 
flat  upon  the  floor,  and,  also  wrapped  in  their  rugs,  looked  not 
unlike  two  huge  bags  of  wool  rolling  from  side  to  side  with 
every  motion  of  the  boat 

Another  man  had  crept  into  a  corner,  where  he  tried  to  keep 
himself  from  pitching  about  by  clinging  to  a  rope  which  he  had 
fastened  to  an  immovable  table. 

The  only  other  occupant  of  the  place  was  a  little  fair-haired 
maiden  of  perhaps  fifteen  or  sixteen  years. 

She  was  small  and  delicate,  and  was  sitting,  or  trying  to  sit, 
upon  the  floor,  not  for  from  the  old  gentleman  before  men 
tioned. 

She  was  wrapped  in  a  thick  woolen  shawl,  and  her  head  was 


Vltf     THE    ATL.AATJH/.  IX 

covered  with  a  crimson  hood,  so  that  not  much  could  be  seen 
of  her,  save  the  fair,  pale  face,  with  its  sad,  appealing  blue 
eyes,  which  looked  out  from  beneath  masses  of  shining  golden 
ringlets  that  had  strayed  from  her  hood  and  lay  upon  her  white 
forehead.  She  had  a  sensitive  mouth,  a  pretty,  rounded  chin, 
a  small,  straight  nose,  and  altogether,  had  she  possessed  some 
thing  of  color  "ind  less  of  sadness  in  her  face,  would  have  been 
considered  wondrously  fair  to  look  upon. 

This  little  waif,  with  her  child-like  countenance,  her  pathetic 
eyes,  and  her  patient,  uncomplaining  spirit,  was  traveling  alone. 

There  was  not  a  soul  on  board  that  vessel  whom  she  had  ever 
seen  before  the  day  of  sailing. 

An  orphan — her  father,  and  the  only  relative  on  whom  she 
could  depend,  had  died  just  three  months  previous — she  was 
going  to  the  United  States,  to  some  distant  connections  who 
had  consented  to  take  her  until  she  was  of  age  and  teach  her 
to  earn  her  own  living. 

She  had  been  put  in  the  care  of  the  captain  by  the  people 
with  whom  she  had  been  staying  since  her  father's  death,  and  he 
was  to  deliver  her  to  the  strangers  to  whom  she  was  going. 

Some  strange  magnetism  had  attracted  her  toward  the  old 
gentleman  with  the  white  hair  and  beard  of  whom  we  have 
spoken,  and  near  to  whom  she  was  now  sitting. 

She  had  hovered  about  him  ever  since  the  first  day  of  the 
voyage,  not  in  an  obtrusive  way,  but  as  if  she  liked  to  be  near 
him — as  if  there  were  something  trustworthy  and  protective 
about  him. 

Perhaps  one  reason  for  this  was  that  her  seat  had  been  next 
his  at  table — while  they  had  been  able  to  sit  at  the  table — and 
once  or  twice,  when  she  could  not  attract  the  attention  of  the 
steward,  he  had  handed  her  what  she  wanted,  and  helped  her 
bountifully  to  fruit  when  otherwise  she  would  have  been 
neglected. 

When  the  Storm  cam,e  on  w.ith,  such  violence  that  those  not 


12  ON    THE    ATLANTIC. 

confined  to  their  berths  were  obliged  to  take  to  the  floor  of  the 
saloon  for  safety,  she  had  crept  as  near  to  him  as  she  dared, 
and  though  she  had  sat  there  all  day  long,  he  had  never  spoken 
to  her  once,  or  appeared  to  heed  her  presence,  but  remained, 
instead,  wrapped  in  his  own  thoughts. 

Suddenly  the  ship  rose  upon  a  mighty  wave — up,  up  she 
went,  until  every  trembling  passenger  held  his  breath  with  awe  ; 
then  she  plunged  headlong  down  into  the  raging  deep,  with  a 
Sinking,  sickening  sensation  that  chilled  the  blood  and  made 
the  flesh  creep  with  fear. 

The  next  moment  another  terrific  wave  struck  her,  with  a 
noise  like  the  roar  of  a  hundred  cannon,  and  with  a  force 
which  made  her  quiver  like  a  frightened  creature  from  stem  to 
Stern ;  and  in  the  dread  pause  which  followed,  and  which  was 
fraught  with  horrible  suspense,  the  little  maid  clasped  her 
small  hands  and  cast  an  appealing  glance  at  her  gray-haired 
companion. 

He,  seeing  it,  smiled  grimly  as  he  asked,  in  rather  a  gruff 
tone: 

"Afraid,  sis?" 

Before  she  could  answer  him  the  vessel  gave  another  tremen 
dous  lurch,  and  she  was  rudely  precipitated  almost  into  the 
arms  of  her  questioner. 

He  caught  her  just  in  time  to  save  her  from  being  dashed 
against  the  iron  post  by  which  he  was  sitting,  and  when  she 
had  recovered  her  breath  a  little,  he  put  her  gently  down  beside 
him,  keeping  one  strong  arm  around  her  to  save  her  from  a 
second  fall. 

"This  is  pretty  rough  weather.  Are  you  afraid?"  he  asked 
again,  and  looking  with  something  of  pity  down  upon  her 
white  face. 

"  It  startles  me  to  have  the  vessel  pitch  and  tremble  so,  and 
those  dreadful  waves  seem  as  if  they  want  to  swallow  us ;  but  I 
know  that  nothing  can  harm  us,  unless " 


ON    THE    ATLANTIC.  Ij 

"Unless  what?"  the  old  man  queried,  as  she  hesitated  and 
glanced  shyly  up  at  him,  a  tinge  of  color  coming  into  her 
cheeks. 

"Unless  it  is  God's  will,"  she  answered,  reverently. 

A  sneer  curled  her  companion's  lip  at  this  reply;  but  the 
sweet  eyes  looking  up  into  his  seemed  to  touch  some  tender 
memory,  for  it  quickly  died,  and  he  repressed  the  skeptical 
words  to  which  he  was  about  to  give  utterance. 

But  she  felt  it,  nevertheless,  and,  with  a  grave  look  and 
serious  tone,  she  asked  : 

"Don't  you  believe  that  God  rules  the  storm,  and  that  He 
will  take  care  of  us?" 

"My  experience  all  through  life  has  been  that  /  have  had  to 
take  care  of  myself,"  he  returned,  with  some  bitterness. 

"And  I  have  been  taught  to  trust  'our  Heavenly  Father.'  I 
think  one  would  hardly  have  much  faith  in  one's  self  'at  such  a 
time  as  this,"  the  little  maiden  said,  with  a  look  of  awe  and  an 
involuntary  shudder,  as  another  wave  broke  over  them. 

The  man  by  her  side  felt  the  gentle  rebuke,  but  he  evaded  it 
by  saying : 

"I  think  no  harm  will  come  to  us.  I  have  crossed  the 
Atlantic  many  times;  I  have  sailed  upon  other  oceans,  and 
have  been  in  storms  equal  to,  if  not  worse,  than  this.  I  do 
not  fear  the  elements  much  in  one  of  these  well-built  boats. 
There  is  only  one  thing  at  tea  that  I  really  feel  afraid  of. " 

"And  what  is  that?" 

"Fire." 

He  felt  the  thrill  of  fear  that  went  vibrating  through  her 
whole  frame  as  he  uttered  the  dread  word,  and  appeared  to 
regret  having  added  to  her  apprehension,  for  he  continued,  re 
assuringly  : 

' '  But  an  accident  of  that  kind  rarely  happens  nowadays,  and 
where  everything  is  so  carefully  conducted  as  on  these  large 
steamers.  There,  sit  close  beside  me,"  he  went  on,  as  still 


14 


Off    THE    ATLANTIC. 


another  thundering  mass  of  water  swept  over  them;  "lea* 
against  me — so.  I  will  keep  my  arm  about  you,  and  you  will 
be  safer  than  sitting  by  yourself.  But  how  does  it  happen  that 
you  are  traveling  alone?" 

"My  father  and  mother  are  dead,"  she  answered,  with  the 
same  appealing  look  that  had  touched  him  before,  while  her 
lips  quivered  over  the  sad  sentence.  "I  had  no  friends  in 
England,  and  so  I  am  going  to  live  with  a  cousin  of  my 
mother's  in  America." 

"What  is  your  name,  little  girl?" 

The  "little  girl"  flushed  rosily  at  this  question — as  what 
maiden  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  would  not  at  this  slur  upon  her 
proudly  attained  "teens?" — while  she  thought  he  need  not 
have  asked  if  he  had  taken  pains  to  look  at  the  passenger  list ; 
but  she  replied : 

"Star  Rosevelt  Gladstone." 

A  startled,  almost  agonized  gleam  shot  into  the  old  man's 
eyes,  and  his  face  seemed  to  shrivel,  until  he  looked  ninety 
instead  of  sixty,  as  the  young  girl,  i«n  her  sweet,  clear  tone, 
uttered  this  name. 

"Star  Rosevelt  1"  he  repeated,  with  pale  lips,  while  his  voice 
sounded  weak  and  far  away. 

•'Yes,  sir, "she  said,  not  ncticing  his  emotion;  "or  rather 
my  real  name  is  Stella,  but  mamma  called  me  Star  always;" 
and  her  voice  faltered  as  she  spoke  of  her  dead  mother. 

Her  companion  did  not  answer,  and  the  roar  of  the  elements 
increasing,  further  conversation  was  out  of  the  question,  even 
had  they  been  so  disposed,  which  they  appeared  not  to  be. 

The  old  man's  head  dropped  upon  his  broad  chest,  and  he 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  forgotten  his  companion,  the  angry 
waters,  the  rolling  vessel,  and  everything  else  in  his  own  sad 
thoughts. 

Darkness  began  to  settle  down  upon  them.  The  storm  raged 
on;  the  spinsters  moaned  and  rolled  upon  theit  comfortless 


ON    THE    ATLANTIC.  !5 

couches;  the  man  in  the  corner  swore  and  raved  as  he  was 
rudely  jostled  about,  with  no  prospect  of  rest  or  sleep ;  while 
the  gray-haired  man  and  the  fair-haired  maid,  encircled  by  his 
strong  arm,  sat  side  by  side,  silent,  yet  less  forlorn  than  their 
comrades  by  reason  of  a  feeling  of  companionship,  until  the 
young  girl's  blue  eyes  closed,  her  golden  head  sank  uncon 
sciously  upon  the  broad  shoulder,  and  she  slept  sweetly  and 
tranquilly  the  whole  night  through,  a  smile  on  her  red  lips,  a 
sense  of  comfort  and  protection  in  her  young  heart 

When  morning  broke  and  Star  Gladstone  awoke,  she  found 
herself  lying  upon  a  heap  of  rugs,  a  pillow  underneath  her 
head  and  a  soft  robe  covering  her. 

The  sun  was  shining  brightly  into  the  saloon,  where,  only  a 
few  hours  before,  all  had  been  so  dark  and  dismal ;  the  sky  was 
beautifully  clear  and  blue,  without  a  vestige  of  the  angry  clouds 
which  had  so  threatened  ship  and  life  a  little  while  ago,  and  the 
good  vessel  was  riding  the  gradually  subsiding  waves  with  strong 
and  steady  pulsations,  which  seemed  to  have  almost  a  sense  of 
victory  in  their  throbbings,  while  the  terrors  of  the  night  seemed 
only  a  troubled  dream  of  the  past. 

She  arose  from  her  soft  couch  with  a  murmured  "How 
kind  !"as  she  realized  who  had  made  her  so  comfortable,  and 
went  below  to  her  state-room  to  make  her  toilet. 

After  a  refreshing  bath  she  brushed  out  her  long,  abundant 
hair  until  it  shone  like  strands  of  finest  gold ;  then  gathering  it 
in  her  two  hands,  she  plaited  it  into  one  massive  braid,  leaving 
the  ends  loose  like  a  great  golden  tassel,  and  tying  them  with  a 
broid  blue  ribbon. 

Then  she  substituted  a  charming  little  blue  hood  edged  with 
white  for  the  thick  crimson  one  which  she  had  worn  all  night, 
wrapped  a  soft  gray  shawl  about  her  shoulders,  and  went  up  on 
deck  looking  as  bright  and  sunny  as  the  morn  itself. 

She  was  very  lovely.  Short  fluffy  locks  of  her  hair  fell  like 
*  shining  mist  over  her  white  forehead ;  her  great  azure  eyes 


,6  ON    THE    ATLANTIC. 

gleamed  like  bluebells  after  a  shower ;  her  cheeks  were  tinged 
with  a  delicate  color,  and  a  smile  of  joy  at  the  return  of  fair 
weather  parted  her  red  lips,  showing  two  rows  of  small  white 
teeth  between. 

As  she  stepped  out  upon  the  deck,  she  espied  her  companion 
of  the  night  standing  aft,  looking  out  upon  the  silver-tipped, 
dancing  waves. 

She  glided  to  his  side  and  saluted  him  with  a  sweetly  spoken 
"good-morning,''  which  fell  like  music  on  his  ear. 

He  turned  and  looked  at  her,  |an  involuntary  smile  parting 
his  lips,  which  evidently  were  unaccustomed  to  such  relaxation. 

"You  are  rightly  named — you  look  like  a  star,"  he  said, 
abruptly,  while  his  keen  eyes  were  fixed  intently  on  her  bright 
face. 

She  flushed,  but  answered  archly : 

"Stars  belong  to  the  night;  they  are  of  no  account  in  this 
glorious  sunshine ;"  and  she  lifted  her  face  up  to  the  sun,  as 
if  in  gratitude  that  its  friendly  beams  were  shining  on  her  once 
more. 

"It  is  a  glorious  morning,"  said  the  old  man,  taking  a  long 
breath  of  the  pure,  keen  air. 

"Sorrow  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning,"  Star  murmured,  in  a  low  tone,  but  with  a  thrill  in 
her  voice  which  told  how  she  felt  the  words. 

Again  a  sneering  smile  distorted  the  lips  of  her  companion. 

She  saw  it,  and  flushed  a  vivid  crimson,  and  the  tears  sprang 
quickly  to  her  eyes. 

"Mamma  used  to  repeat  those  words  so  often  when  she  lay 
sick  and  dying,"  she  said,  sadly.  "I  know  that  she  looked 
forward  to  the  'morning'  when  she  should  be  released  from 
her  suffering;  but  they  never  sounded  so  pleasantly  to  me  as 
they  do  now  on  this  beautiful  morning  after  our  night  of 
terror. " 

"Anything  which  was  a  source  of  comfort  to  your  mother 


Of/    THE    ATLANTIC.  Ty 

you  doubtless  treasure  very  tenderly, "  kindly  replied  the  gentle 
man,  who  was  a  gentleman,  and  felt  sorry  that  his  unbelie^  or 
skepticism  should  have  brought  a  shadow  upon  that  fair  young 
face. 

"There  is  the  breakfast-bell,"  he  added,  in  a  light  tone,  as 
it  rang  out  its  keen  notes.  "Are  you  hungry?" 

"Indeed  I  am,  sir,"  Star  answered,  eagerly,  adding,  with  a 
clear,  sweet  laugh  that  fell  like  music  on  his  ear:  "Eating  has 
been  an  impossibility  during  the  last  few  days,  and  I  have 
considerable  lost  time  to  make  up.  That  bell  has  a  welcome 
sound. " 

"Then  take  my  arm,  little  girl,  and  we  will  go  down  to 
gether  ;  the  boat  is  not  quite  steady  even  yet " 

"  Little  girl !" 

She  flushed  again,  and  shrugged  her  graceful  shoulders. 

Then  she  glanced  up  at  him  with  a  serio-comic  air,  and  said, 
inth  a  pretty  pout : 

"  I  am  sixteen  years  old,  Mr.  " 

She  could  not  finish,  because  she  did  not  know  his  name. 

He  laughed. 

"And  maidens  of  sixteen  don't  like  to  be  called  little  girls, 
eh?"  he  said.  "Well,"  he  continued,  "I  feel  as  if  I  am 
privileged  to  call  you  that,  since  I  am  nearly  sixty,  and  my 
name  is  Jacob  Rosevelt." 

Star  stopped  short  and  looked  up  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  How  strange  !"  she  exclaimed. 

"Rather,  "Mr.  Rosevelt  returned;  then  asked:  "  How  did 
jrou  come  by  your  middle  name?" 

"My  grandmother  gave  it  to  me." 

"Was  her  name  Rosevelt?" 

"No;  her  maiden  name  was  Stella  Winthrope." 

Mr.  Rosevelt  started,  then  turned  suddenly  to  look  out  over 
the  sea,  and  to  hide  the  pallor  of  his  face.  He  asked  no  more 
questions,  and  all  through  breakfast  he  appeared  absent-minded 


1 8  ON    THE    ATLANTIC. 

and  taciturn.  He  scarcely  spoke  to  Star  during  the  meal — 
indeed,  hardly  noticed  her  at  all — and  she  wondered  if  she 
could  have  offended  him  in  any  way. 

Before  she  was  half  through  he  left  the  table,  and  she  saw 
no  more  of  him  until  late  in  the  afternoon. 

About  three  o'clock  she  left  the  saloon,  where  she  had  been 
trying  to  while  away  the  time  by  reading,  and  went  on  deck. 

It  was  very  cold,  but  the  sky  was  cloudless,  the  sea  calm  and 
beautiful,  and,  save  an  occasional  call  and  response  from  the 
sailors,  the  distant  thud  of  the  machinery,  and  the  swash  of 
the  water  as  they  plowed  the  sea,  there  was  scarcely  a  sound  on 
board  the  vessel. 

Star  found  a  sheltered  spot,  and  wrapping  her  shawl  close 
about  her,  sat  down  for  a  little  while  to  watch  the  white-capped 
waves  and  the  speeding  ship. 

She  had  scarcely  settled  herself,  thinking  with  a  feeling  of 
gratitude  how  lovely  it  was  after  the  dreadful  storm,  when  there 
came  the  noise  of  a  dreadful  explosion  from  somewhere  for 
ward,  followed  by  a  fearful  rocking  of  the  vessel ;  then  the 
most  horrible  shrieks  and  cries  rent  the  air;  a  column  of 
smoke,  sparks,  and  cinders  went  pouring  up  from  the  region 
of  the  engine-room,  and  immediately  passengers  and  sailors 
began  running  about  in  great  confusion,  and  perfectly  frantic 
from  fright 

Star  was  unhurt,  but  she  sprang  to  her  feet  and  stood  as  if 
paralyzed  with  fear,  a  look  of  horror  on  her  young  face,  a 
feeling  like  death  at  her  heart. 

"Something  dreadful  has  happened,"  she  murmured,  with 
white  lips.  ' '  Have  we  escaped  the  storm  only  to  encounter  a 
worse  fate?" 

Then,  as  she  saw  the  sailors  getting  down  the  life-boats,  a 
sudden  thought  seemed  to  inspire  her.  She  darted  from  the 
deck  down  into  her  state-room,  where,  opening  a  tiny  trunk, 
she  seized  a  package  of  papers,  which  she  pulled  up  from 


SAVED,  I9 

beneath  her  clothing,  and  thrust  it  into  her  bosom.  She  then 
took  from  a  pretty  box  several  articles  of  jewelry,  which  evi 
dently  had  belonged  to  her  mother,  and  fastened  them  about 
her  clothing,  putting  some  of  them  into  a  pocket  of  a  skirt  and 
pinning  it  securely  together.  This  done,  she  darted  out  and 
up  to  the  deck  again. 


CHAPTER   II. 

SAVED. 

Here  she  found  the  captain,  sailors,  and  passengers — those 
of  them  who  were  unharmed — hovering  around  the  life-boats, 
eager  to  spring  into  them  the  moment  they  were  lowered,  and 
gathered,  from  what  she  could  hear  in  the  confusion,  that  the 
boiler  had  burst,  and  the  accident  had  caused  such  serious 
damage  to  the  vessel  that  she  was  fast  sinking. 

As  she  went  nearer  the  captain  she  saw  Mr.  Rosevelt  He 
looked  gloomy  and  anxious,  and  very  pale,  while  he  was  eagerly 
scanning  the  faces  of  the  people  about  him,  and  holding  a  life- 
preserver  in  his  hands.  His  face  lighted  as  he  turned  and  saw 
her,  and  he  heaved  a  long  breath  of  relief. 

"I  was  looking  for  you,"  he  said,  in  a  hoarse  voice,  while 
he  immediately  proceeded  to  fasten  the  preserver  about  her 
person. 

He  then  drew  her  arm  within  his,  led  her  to  the  side  of  the 
vessel,  and  stood  quietly  waiting  until  the  boats  were  lowered 
and  the  captain  should  bid  them  enter. 

"  Have  you  anything  valuable  that  you  wish  to  save — ifwt 


2o  •*<*  VEX). 

are  saved?"  he  asked,  seeming  suddenly  to  remember  that  she 
might  have  something. 

"Yes,  I  have  a  few  important  papers  and  my  mother's  jewels. 
I  went  down  to  get  them  after  the  explosion.  How  did  it 
happen  ?"  she  asked. 

"No  one  knows.  It  was  one  of  those  accidents  which  can 
not  be  accounted  for.  The  whole  fore  part  of  the  ship  is  nearly 
blown  to  pieces,"  he  returned,  gloomily. 

Star  shuddered,  and  then  turned  to  watch  the  men  let  down 
the  boats. 

There  were  only  three  of  them,  the  others  having  been  de 
stroyed  or  blown  overboard.  These  were  quickly  filled  by  the 
frantic  passengers  and  emigrants,  who  scrambled  into  them  in 
spite  of  the  orders  of  the  captain  to  await  his  commands. 

They  took  everything  into  their  own  hands,  and  as  soon  as 
the  seats  were  taken,  began  to  push  off,  regardless  of  the  ap 
pealing  cries  of  those  remaining  on  board,  the  anger  of  the 
captain,  and  the  threats  of  the  sailors. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star  were  among  those  left,  and  the  old 
man  pleaded  for  a  place  for  the  young  girl,  calling  them  in 
human  brutes  to  seek  their  own  safety  and  leave  a  delicate  girl 
to  perish. 

"  The  boats  will  hold  no  more  !"  the  frantic  creatures  cried. 
"Every  one  must  look  out  for  himself  in  such  a  time  as  this." 

"Wretches!  have  you  no  feeling?  Are  there  no  fathers 
and  mothers  among  you  ?  Will  you  see  this  child  go  down 
before  your  very  eyes?  You  must  take  her!"  he  cried,  wildly, 
authoritatively. 

A  feeling  of  shame  seemed  to  come  over  them ;  there  fol 
lowed  a  moment  of  consultation,  a  counting  of  those  in  the 
different  boats,  then  a  reluctant  consent  was  gained  to  take  her 
into  one  of  them. 

"Be  quick !"  they  cried,  as  a  rush  of  flame  in  the  center  of 
the  steamer  warned  them  that  a  new  and  terrible  danger  threat- 


SAVED.  31 

ened ;  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  led  her  toward  the  rope  ladder  swing 
ing  from  the  vessel's  side. 

Star  was  very  pale,  but  her  great  blue  eyes  had  a  strange, 
determined  gleam  in  them. 

"Are  you  afraid  to  go  down  the  ladder?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  asked, 
as  he  paused  before  it. 

"Not  if  you  will  go  first  and  hold  it  for  me,"  she  answered. 

"But  I  cannot;  they  will  not  take  us  both,"  he  said. 

She  drew  back  from  the  edge  of  the  vessel,  and  looking  up 
into  that  aged  face,  said,  tremulously  : 

"Sir,  you  have  dear  friends  who  are  waiting  for  you,  and 
who  would  mourn  your  death.  I  have  no  one  who  loves  me; 
I  was  going  among  strangers,  and  I  should  not  be  missed. 
You  go ;  I  am  not  afraid  to  die. " 

He  looked  at  her  in  mingled  awe  and  admiration,  while 
those  brave  words,  ' '  I  am  not  afraid  to  die, "  smote  him  keenly. 

"Child,"  he  said,  huskily,  "it  must  not  be,  You  are  young 
and  beautiful ;  there  is  a  long  life  of  happiness,  I  trust,  before 
you.  My  days  are  nearly  spent,  and  I  could  not  accept  such  a 
sacrifice.  Come,  they  are  clamoring  impatiently  at  the  delay. 
Give  me  one  kiss,  such  as  you  would  give  to  your  own  father 
were  he  living,  and  then  I  will  help  you  down  ;  or,  if  you  are 
afraid,  the  sailers  shall  tie  a  rope  about  you  and  let  you  down." 

He  bent  his  head,  his  face  filled  with  a  yearning  tenderness, 
to  hers. 

"The  captain  and  the  sailors — must  they  remain  and  perish, 
too?"  she  asked,  breathlessly,  while  she  shuddered  as  a  hot 
wave  of  smoke  came  pouring  over  them. 

"Yes ;  there  is  room  for  no  one  but  you.  Come ;  they  will 
not  wait  longer.  One  kiss,  little  Star,  and — God  bless  you  !" 

She  looked  up  at  him  in  surprise ;  he  was  asking  God  to 
bless  her,  when  only  last  night  he  had  sneered  at  her  trust  in 
Him.  But  she  kissed  him,  for  his  lips  were  almost  touching 


22  SAVED. 

hers  as  he  spoke.  Then  she  leaned  over  the  vessel's  side,  and 
said,  in  loud,  clear  tones  : 

"I  shall  not  go  with  you;  there  are  enough  in  the  boat 
already. " 

She  turned  her  back  resolutely  upon  what  seemed  her  only 
hope  of  safety,  and,  clinging  to  Mr.  Rosevelt,  she  said  : 

"I  will  not  leave  you,  the  only  one  who  has  spoken  kindly 
to  me  during  all  the  voyage.  They  did  not  want  me,  for  my 
extra  weight  would  lessen  their  chances,  and  I  will  try  to  be 
brave  when — when  the  end  comes. " 

She  was  ghastly  even  to  her  lips,  but  there  was  a  clear  and 
steady  light  in  her  eye. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  was  horror-struck  at  what  she  had  done. 

"Heavens,  child  I  you  shall  not  do  this  rash  thing  !  Hold, 
there!"  he  yelled  to  those  in  the  boat;  "she  will  go!"  and  he 
lifted  her  in  his  arms  and  bore  her  to  the  spot  she  had  just  left, 
while  the  captain  roared  to  the  men  below  to  wait. 

But  even  as  they  were  speaking  the  vessel  gave  a  tremendous 
lurch  and  settled  far  down  into  the  water.  Smoke  and  flame 
were  vomited  up  from  below,  and,  horror  of  horrors  !  the  boat 
into  which  they  had  just  been  urging — almost  forcing  Star — 
was  swamped  in  the  commotion  of  waters  caused  by  that  lurch, 
and  its  luckless  freight  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  hungry  waves. 

It  was  a  fearful  moment. 

Cries  and  shrieks  for  help  came  up  from  the  cruel  depths, 
and  white,  upturned  faces  looked  piteously  toward  the  sinking 
hulk,  as  if  imploring  even  the  brief  respite  from  a  horrible 
death  which  it  could  afford. 

Boxes,  spars,  and  anything  that  was  at  hand,  were  cast  over 
to  them,  and  several  succeeded  in  reaching  and  clinging  to 
them,  while  others  went  down  to  their  watery  grave  before  the 
eyes  of  that  watching,,  agonized  group  on  the  burning  vessel, 
who  almost  forgot  their  own  impending  fate  in  the  sufferings  of 
their  comrades.  Suddenly  a  shout  rent  the  air. 


SAVED.  23 

The  captain  hastened  forward  to  see  what  it  meant,  and  saw 
one  of  the  sailors  in  the  water  on  the  other  side  of  the  vessel 
struggling  with  a  boat. 

The  noble  man  had  espied  it  at  some  distance  from  the  ship, 
and  knew  that  it  was  one  which  had  been  blown  overboard.  It 
might  be  injured  so  that  it  would  not  be  safe,  but  it  appeared 
to  ride  the  waters  all  right,  and  he  resolved  to  swim  to  it  and 
thus  save  if  possible  the  captain  and  crew. 

He  had  nearly  reached  the  steamer's  side  with  his  trophy, 
when  the  other  sailors  discovered  him  and  sent  that  triumphant 
shout. 

"Throw  a  rope!"  shcuted  the  captain,  new  hope  springing 
in  his  heart. 

It  was  thrown  with  a  will ;  the  man  caught  it,  and  suspend 
ing  his  own  labors,  he  and  the  boat  were  drawn  safely  to  the 
ship's  side. 

Nimbly  then  the  faithful  crew  sprang  to  obey  their  com 
mander's  orders.  A  liberal  supply  of  provision  and  water  was 
put  into  the  boat,  with  plenty  of  rugs  and  what  clothing  was 
at  hand ;  the  required  number  of  oars  were  brought,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  all  that  remained  alive  on  that  ill-fated  ship  were 
safely  seated  within  it. 

Then  they  set  to  work  to  save  those  who  were  still  struggling 
in  the  water.  Ten  were  all  that  they  could  rescue,  the  rest 
went  down ;  and  now  began  the  battle  for  life. 

They  pulled  rapidly  away  from  the  sinking  steamer,  lest  they 
should  share  the  fate  of  those  who  had  just  been  swamped, 
and  the  wisdom  of  this  was  manifest  in  lest  than  half  an  hour, 
for,  with  another  mighty  lurch  and  plunge,  which  sent  forth 
volumes  of  smoke  and  flame,  the  noble  craft  went  down  and 
the  dark  waters  swept  over  it,  obliterating  it  forever  from  the 
view  of  man ;  while  the  captain,  with  a  groan  of  pain,  covered 
his  eyes  and  wept 


24  SA  VED. 

It  was  as  if  he  had  looked  his  last  upon  the  face  of  some 
dear  friend. 

The  day  waned  quickly ;  night  shut  down  upon  them  cold 
and  cheerless,  hiding  from  their  sight  the  other  boats,  and 
bringing  with  it  such  a  sense  of  loneliness  and  misery  as  not 
one  in  that  frail  craft  ever  experienced  before. 

Star,  the  only  woman  in  that  boat,  clung  to  Mr.  Rosevelt  as 
if  upon  him  depended  all  her  hope,  and  all  that  long  night 
through  he  held  in  his  one  small,  fair  hand,  while  he  pillowed 
her  bright  head  upon  his  knees,  and  kept  her  covered  with 
blankets  and  rugs. 

Twice  or  thrice  she  awoke  and  started  up,  saying : 

"I  weary  you,  sir;  let  me  sit  by  myself." 

But  he  only  drew  her  more  closely  to  him,  as  he  said, 
tenderly  : 

"No,  no,  little  one;  it  does  me  good  to  have  you  near  me. 
Lie  still  and  get  all  the  sleep  you  can,  for  we  do  not  know 
what  the  morrow  may  bring  to  us." 

When  the  morrow  did  come  it  dawned  grandly  beautiful. 
The  sun  came  up  from  the  east  like  a  chariot  of  fire,  turning 
the  sea  into  waves  of  gold,  and  bringing  cheer  and  courage 
once  more  to  the  hearts  of  the  lonely  little  band  who  were 
struggling  for  life  on  the  mighty  deep. 

Nothing  could  be  seen  of  the  other  boats,  although  they  had 
been  eagerly  looking  for  them  ever  since  the  break  of  day ;  but 
the)  had  no  reason  to  think  they  were  not  as  safe  as  themselves, 
and  were  therefore  not  unduly  anxious. 

Star  awoke  much  refreshed  by  her  long  sleep,  and,  as  her 
lovely  eyes  took  in  all  the  beauty  of  the  morning,  a  feeling  of 
thankfulness  for  it  and  their  safety  thrilled  her  heart,  and  almost 
unconsciously  she  began  chanting  a  hymn  of  praise. 

As  she  sang  the  first  line,  which  was  exactly  like  the  begin 
ning  of  the  Lord's  Prayer — "Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven" — 
every  oar  was  suspended ;  the  captain  reverently  removed  his 


SAVED.  25 

cap,  an  act  which  was  imitated  by  the  crew,  and  all  listened 
with  respectful  mien  as  the  sweet  voice  rose  upon  the  still 
morning  air,  thanking  God  for  His  care  through  the  dangers  of 
the  night,  and  invoking  His  protection  during  the  day. 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Gladstone,"  the  captain  said,  as  her  lasl 
tone  died  away ;   "  it  is  well  for  us  to  begin  the  day  thus.     You 
have  a  fine  voice,  "he  added;  "will  you  sing  something  else 
and  then  we'll  pull  westward  with  a  will  for  awhile?" 

Star  thought  for  a  moment ;  then,  with  a  delicate  flush  risinj 
in  her  cheek,  an  almost  holy  light  glowing  in  her  eyes,  and  :t 
thrill  in  her  tones  which  touched  every  heart,  she  sang : 

"  In  the  harbor  safe  at  home 
Zion's  stately  ship  shall  come, 
And  her  crew  shall  proudly  tell 
Dangers  she  has  braved  so  well ; 
Never  more  to  tempt  the  wave, 
Never  more  the  storm  to  brave, 
Safe  from  rock  and  breaker's  crest, 
Anchored  in  eternal  rest. 

'*  Courage,  then,  ye  faithful  few ! 
Weary,  weather-beaten  crew. 
Let  no  hardship  be  compared 
With  th'  exceeding  great  reward ; 
Soon  life's  tempest  will  be  o'er — 
Lo !  we  near  the  promised  shore, 
And  o'er  troubled  waves  afar 
Gleameth  Bethlehem's  welcome  star." 

There  were  tears  in  the  eyes  of  those  rough,  stern-visaged 
men  when  the  song  was  ended,  and  more  than  one  weather- 
bronzed  hand  was  lifted  to  dash  them  aside.  There  was  not  a 
sailor  there  who  would  not  have  fought  dearly  for  the  life  of 
this  sweet-voiced  girl,  who  had  thus  touched  a  chord  in  their 
hearts  which  had  not  vibrated  before  for  many  a  year. 

A  little  while  after  the  boatswain  called  aloud : 

"A  sail  1  a  sail  1" 


26  SAVED. 

All  eyes  were  instantly  turned  in  the  direction  toward  which 
he  pointed,  and  low  on  the  horizon,  very  far  away,  there 
gleamed  a  white  sail. 

The  captain  brought  his  glass  to  bear  upon  it,  and  reported 
a  schooner. 

A  signal  of  distress  was  hoisted  immediately,  and  changing 
their  course,  they  pulled  vigorously  for  the  vessel. 

But  in  less  than  half  an  hour  it  had  disappeared  entirely, 
and,  with  disappointed  faces,  they  again  turned  their  course 
westward. 

The  demands  of  nature  now  began  to  assert  themselves,  and 
the  captain  served  out  a  generous  breakfast,  treating  all  alike. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  regarded  him  anxiously  as  he  did  this. 

"  riow  long  will  your  stores  hold  out?"  he  asked,  as  the  men 
began  to  eat  hungrily. 

"Two  or  three  days,"  he  returned;  "but  we  are  so  nearly 
in  the  line  of  the  steamers  that  we  shall  surely  fall  in  with  one 
before  our  provisions  are  gone. " 

The  old  man  sighed,  and  bent  a  wistful  look  upon  the  young 
girl  sitting  beside  him. 

Star  had  noted  his  anxious  tone  as  he  questioned  the  cap 
tain  ;  she  had  also  seen  the  look  he  cast  upon  her. 

"  He  fears  that  we  shall  be  tossed  about  on  the  ocean  until 
we  starve,"  she  thought,  a  horrible  chill  creeping  over  her;  and 
she  quietly  slipped  all  the  bread  that  had  been  given  her  into 
her  pocket,  and  only  ate  the  more  perishable  food  and  deli 
cacies  which  the  captain  had  laid  in  her  lap. 

That  afternoon  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  a  violent  attack  of  vertigo, 
lying  insensible  for  several  hours ;  and  now  it  was  Star's  turn  to 
pillow  his  head  upon  her  lap  andjninister  to  his  comfort. 

She  bathed  his  face  and  head  almost  constantly,  and  with 
her  shawl  shielded  him  from  the  sun,  which  during  the  day 
was  very  powerful,  while  from  time  to  time  she  fed  him  with 
bits  of  biscuit  moistened  with  nort  wine  from  a  bottle  which 


SAVED.  2j 

the  captain  had  given  her  for  him,  striving  in  every  way  to  keep 
up  his  strength. 

He  appeared  to  revive  toward  evening,  and  said  he  was 
better;  but  Star  saw  that  he  was  very  weak,  and  that  it  was 
only  by  great  effort  that  he  kept  up  at  all. 

Another  night  passed,  another  day  came,  and  still  there  was 
no  sail  to  gladden  their  strained  and  aching  eyes. 

The  third  day  the  captain  said,  with  a  stern  brow  and  pale, 
compressed  lips  : 

' '  Our  provisions  are  nearly  gone — they  will  last  only  one 
more  day ;"  and  he  shortened  every  man's  ration,  giving  Star 
alone  a  generous  portion. 

She  cast  a  pitying  glance  at  the  brave  men  toiling  so  uncom 
plainingly  at  their  oars,  and  her  heart  sank  as  she  thought  what 
might  be  their  fate. 

Patiently  she  munched  a  single  biscuit,  while  she  slipped  all 
the  rest  out  of  sight,  hoarding  it  to  fight  the  grim,  gaunt  mon 
ster  which  she  feared  was  fast  overtaking  them. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  had  not  been  so  well  the  day  before ;  he  was 
even  worse  this  morning,  and  she  was  very  anxious  about  him, 
for  he  would  eat  nothing,  waving  all  food  away  with  an  ex 
pression  of  disgust,  and  only  sipping  a  little  wine  occasionally, 
while  he  had  become  so  weak  that  he  could  not  sit  up  at  all. 

' '  He  won't  live  two  days  longer, "  she  heard  one  sailor 
whisper  to  another,  when,  a  little  later,  he  had  another  attack 
which  utterly  prostrated  him.  "  He  is  failing  rapidly,  and  eats 
nothing  to  keep  up  his  strength." 

"  He  shall  live !"  Star  said  to  herself,  with  an  impulse  born 
of  despair ;  for  he  seemed  her  chief  dependence,  and  she  had 
grown  to  regard  him  with  very  tender  feelings. 

All  night  she  watched  over  him,  every  half  hour  moistening 
his  lips  with  wine,  and  forcing  bits  of  biscuit  soaked  in  it 
between  them. 


28  SAVED. 

Every  time  she  heard  him  swallow,  her  heart  leaped  for  joyk 
for  it  told  her  there  was  hope  even  yet. 

She  had  several  squares  of  sea-bread  in  her  pocket,  for  she 
had  saved  something  from  ever)-  meal,  and  she  was  determined, 
as  long  as  her  own  strength  held  out,  that  she  would  faithfully 
minister  to  him. 

Sometimes  she  was  very  faint  herself  from  want  of  food,  but 
she  would  take  a  little  water  in  her  mouth  and  swallow  it 
gradually,  and  thus  find  a  relief  for  a  time. 

The  fifth  day  there  was  no  food  to  give  out — and,  oh,  the 
hollow  eyes,  the  blanched  cheeks  and  despairing  hearts  of  that 
ill-fated  party ! 

Mr.  Rosevelt  was  conscious,  to  Star's  great  joy,  but  too  weak 
to  move  hand  or  foot. 

The  sixth  day  the  courage  and  strength  of  the  crew  began  to 
fail  visibly,  and  two  of  the  passengers  fainted  from  hunger  and 
weakness. 

Star  felt  wretchedly  guilty,  with  food  in  her  pocket  and  those 
hungry  eyes  looking  so  piteously  into  hers ;  but  she  knew  there 
was  not  enough  for  a  crumb  apiece,  while  the  life  of  her  friend 
depended  upon  it. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  relapsed  into  partial  unconsciousness  quite  early 
in  the  morning,  and  she  was  as  pale  and  wan  as  a  spirit,  but 
the  look  of  determination  never  left  her  face.  She  worked 
over  the  sick  man  constantly,  forcing  food  into  his  mouth  as 
often  as  she  dared,  while  all  the  day  long  not  a  morsel  passed 
her  own  white  lips. 

Just  at  sunset  a  little  white  cloud  was  visible  on  the  eastern 
horizon,  then  it  became  a  line  of  smoke;  a  few  minutes  later 
sails  were  distinguishable,  and  soon  the  broadside  of  a  steamer 
became  distinct.  A  shout  went  up  from  the  throats  of  the 
faithful  crew,  and  with  renewed  courage  and  strength  they  bent 
every  nerve  to  their  oars. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  their  signal  of  distress  had  been 


SAVED.  tg 

seen,  for  the  steamer  changed  her  course  and  came  proudly 
plowing  the  waters  toward  the  suffering  band,  and  an  hour 
later  those  starving,  almost  helpless  ones  were  tenderly  taken 
from  their  peril  and  every  want  kindly  ministered  to. 

"What  is  it — where  am  I?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  asked,  aroused  by 
the  sound  of  strange  voices,  a  vigorous  rubbing,  and  an  extra 
quantity  of  wine. 

"A  steamer  homeward  bound,  and  we  are  saved/"  Star  whis 
pered  in  his  ear,  then  bowed  her  white  face  upon  her  hands 
and  wept  for  joy. 

She  would  not  leave  him  until  the  ship's  surgeon  told  her 
that  he  would  pull  through  all  right  with  proper  care,  and 
commanded  that  she  go  below  and  receive  the  attention  she 
herself  needed. 

She  staggered  to  her  feet,  a  great  burden  rolling  from  her 
heart ;  but  her  waning  strength  deserted  her  entirely,  and  she 
fell  fainting  into  the  arms  of  a  young,  manly  looking  fellow, 
who  was  standing  with  pitying  face  just  beside  her. 

He  carried  her  below  and  gave  her  into  the  care  of  a  stew 
ardess,  and  thought,  as  he  did  so,  that  he  had  never  in  his  life 
looked  upon  a  face  so  pure  and  delicately  lovely. 

The  captain  and  crew  of  the  ill-fated  steamer,  with  the  other 
passengers  who  had  been  saved,  were  shown  every  kindness  and 
attention  which  their  critical  condition  demanded,  and  so  ended 
that  season  of  horror,  and  they  were  borne  swiftly  and  safely 
toward  America's  hospitable  shore. 


JO  THE     YOUNG    STRANGE*. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE     YOUNG     STRANGER. 

Mr,  Rosevelt  began  to  mend  at  once  under  the  skillful  treat 
ment  of  the  ship's  surgeon,  and  to  regain  his  strength  much 
more  readily  than  the  young  girl  who  had  been  so  faithful 
to  him. 

He  had  been  in  a  very  dangerous  condition,  the  physician 
said,  and  doubtless  would  have  died  but  for  the  unremitting 
attention  which  Star  gave  him,  in  keeping  his  head  cool  and 
wet,  and  in  forcing  food  upon  him  to  keep  up  his  strength. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  heard  this  with  evident  emotion,  and  during 
the  remainder  of  the  voyage  evinced  the  greatest  tenderness 
for  her. 

They  had  not  made  much  progress  in  their  frail  life-boat, 
notwithstanding  the  unrelaxing  energies  of  the  sailors,  and 
found  that  they  were  still  five  days  from  New  York  when  they 
were  picked  up  by  the  other  steamer;  and  although  somewhat 
weakened  by  hunger  and  suffering  and  the  intense  cold,  yet 
none  appeared  to  be  seriously  affected  by  their  experience,  and 
a  day  or  two  served  to  make  a  great  change  for  the  better  in 
them  all. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  after  their  rescue,  Star  con 
sented  to  be  carried  up  on  deck ;  the  day  was  keen  and  cold, 
but  the  sun  was  bright  and  inviting. 

She  was  very  wan  and  pale,  but  possessed  a  delicate  beauty 
that  attracted  every  one. 

They  tock  her  directly  to  Mr.  Rosevelt,  and  she  gave  him 
her  thin  hand  without  a  word.  He,  too,  looked  so  thin  and 


THE     YOUNG    STRANGER. 


3« 


white  that  the  tears  sprang  to  her  eyes,  and  she  could  not 
speak. 

"  Dear  child,"  he  said,  tremulously,  and  taking  it  in  both  of 
his,  "they  tell  me  that  but  for  your  unwearied  efforts  I  should 
have  died.  I  have  no  words  adequate  to  thank  you  for  the  gift 
of  my  life ;  but,  little  Star.  I  shall  never  forget  it. " 

She  could  not  talk  much,  she  was  still  too  weak,  but  she  was 
glad  to  be  near  him,  and  gave  him  as  bright  a  smile  as  she  could 
summon  to  her  lips;  and  then,  chancing  to  glance  another 
way,  she  found  a  pair  of  dark,  handsome  eyes  fixed  earnestly 
upon  her  face. 

They  belonged  to  the  young  man  in  whose  arms  she  had 
fainted  upon  finding  that  they  were  all  safe  once  more. 

He  lifted  his  hat  respectfully  as  he  caught  her  glance,  and 
then  advancing,  said,  courteously : 

"I  trust  the  young  lady  is  much  better  this  morning." 

Star  bowed  a  somewhat  cold  assent,  for  she  had  been  very 
carefully  reared  by  her  refined  mother,  and  taught  to  be  rather 
shy  of  strangers. 

Then,  thinking  that  was  but  a  poor  return  for  his  interest  in 
her  welfare,  she  said,  with  a  rising  flush,  for  there  was  no  mis 
taking  the  look  in  those  fine  eyes : 

"Thanks;  I  am  veiy  comfortable  this  morning." 

Mr.  Rosevelt  smileJ.  He  had  noticed  Star's  reserve,  and  it 
pleased  him. 

"She  is  a  little  lady,"  he  thought;  then  he  said  aloud,  with 
a  look  at  the  young  man,  though  he  spoke  to  her :  "  I  am  very 
fortunate  in  finding  friends,  for  since  you  have  been  confined 
to  your  state-room,  this  young  gentleman — though  I  have  not 
yet  learned  his  name — has  ministerrd  to  me  in  a  manner  most 
hind." 

Star's  eyes  glowed  at  this,  and  she  vouchsafed  the  young 
.-Iranger  a  smile -that  set  his  heart  bounding. 

"I  anj  afraid-  though    that  you  are  feeling  far  from  well 


32  THE     YOUNG    STRANGER. 

even  yet,"  she  said,  with  an  anxious  glance  into  Mr.  Rosevelt's 
face. 

"Pretty  well — pretty  well,  little  one,  for  an  old  codger  like 
myself,  who  has  seen  a  good  many  rough  times.  I'm  a  trifle 
weak  yet,  but  time  will  help  that.  We  have  had  a  narrow 
escape  however,  and  you  have  proved  yourself  a  heroine." 

Star  colored  slightly  at  this  compliment,  and  shot  a  shy  look 
at  the  young  stranger  of  the  dark  eyes.  Then  she  leaned 
wearily  back  in  her  chair,  tired  with  the  exertion  she  had  made. 

The  young  man  turned  abruptly  and  walked  away,  but  he 
soon  reappeared,  bearing  a  beautiful  reclining  steamer-chair, 
cushioned  with  crimson  velvet,  a  couple  of  elegant  rugs,  and  a 
silken  pillow. 

"Your  chair  is  hard  and  uncomfortable,  Miss  Gladstone; 
pray  allow  me  to  substitute  this  one  and  wrap  you  more 
warmly.  The  air  is  cold,  even  if  the  sun  is  bright  and  genial," 
he  said,  in  a  way  that  could  not  offend  the  greatest  stickler  for 
propriety,  without  even  taking  into  consideration  the  license 
allowed  on  shipboard. 

Star  could  not  refuse  this  act  of  courtesy,  and  the  chair  and 
soft,  warm  rugs,  with  the  bright,  silken  pillow,  did  look  in 
viting. 

She  let  him  assist  her  into  it,  arrange  the  rugs  about  her, 
and  smiled  her  thanks  for  his  kindness,  while  she  looked 
bewitchingly  lovely  with  her  fair  cheek  resting  on  the  crimson 
pillow. 

"Your  shawl  is  unfastened  at  the  throat,"  he  said,  seeing 
<hat  it  had  fallen  away,  and  fearing  she  would  take  cold. 

She  put  up  her  hands  to  fasten  it,  and  found  that  she  had 
lost  the  pin. 

Her  young  attendant  noticed  it,  and  drawing  a  scarf-pin 
from  his  neck-tie — a  pin  with  a  beautiful  cameo  head — he 
passed  it  to  her. 

"Can  you  make  this  do  for  the  present?"  he  asked. 


THE     YOUNG    STRANGER.  35 

She  took  it,  noticing  the  exquisitely  carved  stone  as  she  did 
so,  and  pinned  her  shawl  closely  once  more. 

When  he  saw  that  she  was  as  comfortable  as  he  could  make 
her,  he  stepped  back  a  pace  or  two,  and  drawing  a  card  from  a 
pocket,  wrote  something  upon  it,  and  then  passed  it  to  Mr. 
Rosevelt,  saying,  with  a  frank  smile  : 

"  I  presume  you  think  it  is  high  time  that  I  introduced  my 
self;  pardon  my  neglect  upon  that  point." 

The  old  gentleman  took  the  card  and  read  the  name : 

"Archibald  Sherbrooke." 

He  bent  a  searching  look  upon  the  young  man's  face  for  a 
moment,  but  the  frank,  honest  eyes  met  his  with  such  a  genial 
expression  that  he  could  not  harbor  a  doubt  of  him,  and  he 
said,  cordially  : 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Sherbrooke;  I  am  glad  to  know  your 
name.  M;.ne  is  Rosevelt — Jacob  Rosevelt- — and  this  young  lady 
allow  me  to  introduce  as  Miss  Star  Gladstone/'  he  concluded, 
turning  with  a  smile  to  Star. 

Mr.  Sherbrooke  bowed  to  Miss  Gladstone  and  raised  his  cap 
in  the  most  gallant  manner ;  while  Star,  thinking  what  a  nice- 
sounding  name  Sherbrooke  was,  and  what  a  nice-looking  man 
its  owner  was,  acknowledged  his  salutation  with  a  charming 
smile  and  blush. 

The  trio  soon  fell  into  an  easy  chat,  which  lasted  more  than 
an  hour,  while  the  young  girl  grew  more  and  more  like  herself. 
Several  times  she  forgot  that  she  was  weak  or  had  been  ill,  in 
listening  to  the  gay  things  to  which  her  new  acquaintance  gave 
utterance,  and  she  indulged  in  a  hearty,  joyous  laugh,  her 
face  dimpling  and  flashing,  her  eyes  gleaming,  her  golden  hair 
fluttering  about  her  white  forehead,  until  young  Sherbrooke 
thought  her  the  loveliest  girl  he  had  ever  seen. 

He  lingered  long  by  her  side,  looking  into  her  face  with 
earnest,  honest,  admiring  eyes,  listening  to  her  clear,  sweet 
tones,  and  exerting  himself  to  make  himself  agreeable  to  her; 


34  THE     YOUNG    STRANGER. 

while  Mr.  Rosevelt  sat  and  watched  them  with  a  sense  of 
pleasure  in  their  enjoyment,  and  never  dreaming  of  the  mis 
chief  brewing  under  his  very  eyes. 

Star  told  the  young  man  all  about  the  terrible  explosion, 
iheir  expectation  of  death  when  they  found  the  vessel  on  fire, 
their  subsequent  sufferings  and  terror  while  drifting  about  in 
the  life-boat ;  while  her  voice  grew  low  and  thrilling  as  she 
spoke  of  her  feelings  when  she  began  to  realize  that  their  pro 
visions  were  falling  short,  and  she  feared  they  would  starve  to 
death  on  the  trackless  ocean. 

"If  the  captain  had  not  been  so  generous  to  begin  with," 
she  said,  "it  would  have  been  better  for  all  of  us.  Mr.  Rose 
velt  cautioned  him,  but  he  appeared  to  think  that  some  vessel 
would  surely  overtake  us  in  a  day  or  two.  But  after  that  I 
saved  my  sea  biscuit;  I  put  away  half  of  what  was  given  me 
every  time;  and  if  I  had  not  done  so,  he" — with  a  shy  glance 
toward  her  friend,  and  dropping  her  voice — "would  never  have 
lived,  for  when  the  captain  found  he  was  too  ill  to  eat  he  gave 
his  share  to  the  other  men.  He  gave  me  a  bottle  of  wine, 
though,  for  him,  and  I  soaked  the  biscuit  in  it  and  crowded  it 
into  his  mouth  when  he  was  too  unconscious  to  feed  himself." 

"And  did  you  go  without  necessary  food  to  do  this?"  Archi 
bald  Sherbrookc  asked,  with  pitying  eyes,  and  a  feeling  almost 
of  reverence  for  the  beautiful,  self-denying  girl. 

"I  am  young  and  strong;  I  knew  it  would  not  do  me  such 
serious  harm  to  get  weakened  by  hunger  as  it  would  him, "  Star 
said,  evasively;  "and,  besides " 

"Besides  what?" 

Star's  lips  quivered,  but  she  answered,  in  a  hushed  tone  : 

"  I  knew  it  was  right  to  do  all  that  I  could  to  save  his  life, 
and  it  gave  me  something  to  think  of  besides  myself;  and  I 
knew,  too,  if  we  all  must  die,  the — suffering  would  be  shorter 
if  I  did  not  eat." 

"But  you  were  dreadfully  hungry,  were  you  not?"  persisted 


THE     i^UNG    STRANGER. 


35 


her  questioner,  feeling  a  sort  of  horrible  fascination  in  the  sub 
ject,  yet  shuddering  over  the  dreadful  story. 

"You  will  not  tell  Aim/3"  Star  said,  with  a  little  motion  of 
her  hand  over  her  shoulder  to  indicate  Mr.  Rosevelt. 

"No." 

"Yes,  I  was  fearfully  hungry,"  she  went  on,  with  a  shiver  at 
the  remembrance,  and  she  grew  very  white.  "Ever  so  many 
times,  when  I  was  soaking  the  biscuit  for  him,  it  smelled  so 
good  that  I  would  raise  it  to  my  lips  before  I  was  aware  of 
what  I  was  doing;  but  the  thought  always  came  to  me  in 
time — 'he  will  die  if  I  eat  it.'  There  was  only  a  very  little 
left  that  last  day,  and  I  knew  if  he  died  I  should  always  feel  as 
if  my  selfishness  killed  him  if  I  deprived  him  of  it,  and  I  was 
saved. " 

"I  think  you  are  the  noblest  girl  that  I  ever  heard  of,  Miss 
Star,"  young  Sherbrooke  exclaimed,  with  reverent  enthusiasm. 

"Amen!"  said  Mr.  Rosevelt's  tremulous  voice,  close  beside 
them. . 

"Oh!"  cried  Star,  starting  and  flushing,  while  the  tears 
sprang  into  her  eyes.  "I  did  not  mean  that  you  should  ever 
know-  -  ' 

"You  didn't,  eh?"  the  old  man  interrupted.  "1  thought 
so;  and  when  I  saw  you  two  talking  so  earnestly  together,  I 
imagined  that  you  were  giving  our  young  friend  a  few  facts 
which  I  wished  to  know  myself,  so  I  got  up  from  my  chair  and 
came  to  listen.  They  told  me,"  he  went  on,  with  emotion, 
after  a  moment,  "that  you  saved  my  life;  but,  oh  !  child,  you 
should  not  have  tried  to  do  it  by  sacrificing  your  own  ;  and  you 
would  have  done  it  on  the  steamer  also.  I  shall  never  forget  it 
of  you,  little  one,  you  may  be  sure." 

He  laid  his  hand  gently  on  her  head  a  moment,  then  turned 
and  left  them,  to  hide  the  tears  that  were  welling  to  his  own 
eyes. 

"He  has  friends  who  doubtless  are  waiting  for  him,"  Star 


Tff£     YOUNG 

said,  jumping  to  conclusions,  and  as  if  to  excuse  herself  foi 
sacrificing  so  much,  ''while  /  have  nobody  since  papa  and 
mamma  died." 

"But  you  are  so  young  and" — so  beautiful,  he  came  near 
adding,  but  something  in  her  earnest,  uplifted  eyes  restrained 
him  from  speaking  so  familiarly,  and  he  added,  solemnly — 
"and  it  must  be  so  hard  to  die  with  all  the  world  before  you." 

"Yes,  if  you  have  dear  ones  who  love  you,"  Star  returned, 
with  a  deep-drawn  sigh. 

A  wistful  look  shot  into  the  young  man's  eyes  at  this. 

"You  have  no  parents,  then?"  he  inquirad,  in  tones  of 
sympathy. 

"No.  Mamma  died  more  than  a  year  ago,  and  papa  has 
been  gone  three  months.  I  have  no  brothers  or  sisters,  no 
home,  only  some  distant  relatives  in  America  whom  I  have 
never  seen.  They  promised  papa  to  give  me  a  home  until  my 
education  is  completed,  when  I  intend  to  teach." 

"Was  your  home  in  England?" 

"Yes,  in  Derbyshire.  Papa  was  a  clergyman  in  Chester 
field." 

"Was  your  home  in  Derbyshire?"  Archibald  Sherbrooke 
asked,  with  a  slight  start,  while  his  face  lighted. 

' '  Yes ;  were  you  ever  there  ?" 

"Often." 

' '  Isn't  it  a  lovely  country  ?"  Star  asked,  eagerly,  so  glad  to 
meet  one  who  knew  where  her  home  had  been.  "Can  you 
imagine  anything  more  delightful  than  a  drive  or  a  cantei 
across  the  Derbyshire  moors?" 

"No,  indeed.  I  have  often  galloped  over  them,"  he  said, 
and  then  they  fell  to  talking  of  other  places  that  they  knew ; 
and  when  at  last  the  dinner-bell  rang,  Star  said,  with  sparkling 
eyes  and  cheeks  in  which  the  color  was  beginning  to  return  : 

"  I  am  hungry — really,  naturally  hungry,  and  I  feel  ever  so 
much  better. " 


THE     YOUNG    STRANGER,  yj 

Every  day  after  that,  during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage, 
Archibald  Sherbooke  sought  the  companionship  of  Mr.  Rose- 
velt  and  his  lovely  young  charge — for  as  such  he  regarded  her. 

They  became  the  best  of  friends,  and  the  brilliant  young 
Englishman  seemed  to  arouse  all  that  was  brightest  and  live 
liest  in  Star's  composition,  so  that  as  her  sweet,  clear  laugh 
rang  out,  and  she  replied  to  his  jests  with  merry  wit  and 
repartee  equal  to  his  own,  many  of  the  passengers  paused  in 
their  conversation  or  lifted  up  their  eyes  from  their  books  to 
smile  at  the  cheerful  sight  and  sound. 

The  last  day  of  the  voyage  came,  and  during  the  afternoon 
the  two  young  people  were  pacing  the  upper  deck,  arm  in  arm, 
when  Archibald  Sherbrooke  suddenly  stopped,  and  pointing 
toward  a  distant  city  of  spires  and  domes,  said  : 

"Ah!  we  are  nearing  New  York.  A  few  hours  more  and 
we  shall  be  there.  Do  you  know,  Miss  Star,  I  shall  be  sorry 
to  bid  you  'good-by?'" 

The  young  girl's  bright  face  clouded  at  these  words.  A  hot 
flush  mounted  for  an  instant  to  her  brow,  and  her  white  lids 
drooped  over  her  beautiful  eyes. 

"You,  of  course,  expect  friends  to  meet  you  on  your  arrival," 
her  companion  continued,  after  a  moment  of  silence. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  answered,  with  a  troubled  look.  "I 
did  expect  that  some  one  would  meet  me  upon  the  arrival  of 
the  other  vessel,  but  now  that  we  have  had  such  trouble,  I  am 
afraid  there  will  no  one  come  for  me,  and  I  shall  be  obliged  to 
go  to  Brooklyn  alone. " 

"That  will  not  be  at  all  difficult,  since  Brooklyn  is  only  just 
across  the  river  from  New  York.  If  you  know  the  street  and 
number  where  your  friends  live,  you  can  easily  find  them," 
returned  the  young  man,  encouragingly. 

Star  started  and  looked  blank  at  his  words. 

"The  street  and  number  were  written  in  my  diary.     That 


3  8  MRS.     RICHARDS. 

was  lost  on  the  vessel.  I  did  not  think,  in  my  haste,  to  get  it," 
she  said,  in  dismay. 

"Whew!  that  makes  matters  rather  complicated  for  you, 
then ;  but  never  mind,  the  captain  will  know  what  to  do  about 
it,  and  I  feel  sure  that  you  will  have  no  trouble.  It  is  probable 
that  the  pilot-boat,  when  it  returned,  after  leaving  the  pilot  with 
us,  took  back  the  news  that  some  of  the  passengers  from  the 
wrecked  steamer  were  with  us,  and  your  friends  may  hope  that 
you  are  among  them,  and  come  to  ascertain. " 

Star  was  greatly  cheered  by  this  view  of  the  matter,  and  made 
up  her  mind  to  wait  patiently  for  whatever  was  to  come. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MRS.     RICHARDS. 

R  was  very  late  when  the  stately  ship  rolled  slowly  up  to  her 
pier,  too  late  for  the  customs  officers  to  visit  her  that  night,  and 
the  impatient  passengers  were  forced  to  wait  until  morning  to 
appear  before  them  and  undergo  that  much  dreaded  ordeal  of 
taking  oath  upon  their  possessions,  dutiable  or  otherwise. 

But  early  the  next  morning  the  hurry  and  bustle  began,  and 
there  was  the  usual  rush  to  claim  baggage  and  get  away  as 
soon  as  possible  from  the  place  where  they  had  spent  so  many 
monotonous  days. 

Star  had  no  baggage  to  claim,  and,  not  knowing  what  else 
to  do,  she  sat  still  in  the  saloon  and  waited,  watching  the 
departing  people  with  mingled  feelings  of  curiosity  and  sadness. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  had  told  her  not  to  be  anxious  about  her  own 
fate,  for  he  should  see  that  she  was  kindly  cared  for,  and  if  her 


JtfKS.      R1CHAKDS.  39 

friends  did  not  come  for  her,  he  would  provide  for  her  until 
they  could  advertise  her  arrival  in  the  papers.  It  was  unfor 
tunate,  he  said,  that  she  lost  their  address,  since  it  would  be 
liable  to  cause  something  of  a  delay  in  reaching  her  destina 
tion.  So,  while  he  went  to  arrange  some  little  matter  with  the 
captain,  she  sat  and  watched  the  hurrying  crowd. 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  came  to  seek  her  there,  and  found  her 
alone. 

"  I'm  off!"  he  said,  with  animation.  "  I've  got  through  with 
the  customs,  and  have  come  to  wish  you  good-by.  Mr.  Rose- 
velt  says  he  is  going  to  take  care  of  you.  I  hope  everything 
will  come  out  right  for  you,  Miss  Star,  and  that  you'll  find  a 
pleasant  home  with  your  friends.  I'm  very  sorry  that  you've 
lost  their  address,  for  I'd  call  and  see  you  before  I  go  back  to 
England  if  I  knew  where  to  find  you.  I  trust,  however,  that 
we  shall  meet  again,  sometime;  and — will  you  please  always 
consider  me  your  friend?" 

He  placed  a  card  in  her  hand  as  he  spoke,  and  she  saw  that 
his  address  was  written  upon  it. 

"Thank  you,"  she  said,  with  a  rising  flush.  " I  shall  never 
forget  you,  for  you  have  been  very  kind  to  me.  But  wait — I 
nearly  forgot  to  give  you  your  pin,"  she  concluded,  suddenly 
remembering  that  she  still  had  it,  and  she  took  the  beautiful 
cameo  head  from  her  shawl  and  held  it  out  to  him. 

"Please  keep  it  as  a  souvenir,"  he  said,  gently,  adding: 
"And  I  wish  you  had  something  to  give  me  in  exchange." 

"I've  lost  everything,  you  know.  I  could  give  you  naught 
but  a  'tress  of  my  yellow  hair,'  "  Star  said,  with  a  light  laugh, 
and  lifting  the  heavy  braid  which  lay  over  her  shoulder  with  a 
look  of  mock  dismay. 

"Oh,  would  you?"  he  asked,  eagerly,  and  taking  her  literally 
at  her  word. 

"It  would  be  but  a  poor  return  for  this  lovely  cameo,"  she 
answered,  flushing  beneath  his  eager  glance. 


40  MRS.     RICHARDS. 

"No,  indeed,  it  would  not,"  he  returned,  earnestly.  "May 
I  have  just  a  lock  of  its  shining  gold,  please,  Miss  Star?"  and 
his  fingers  touched  the  massive  braid  almost  tenderly. 

"I  have  nothing  with  which  to  cut  it  off,  and — I'm  afraid  it 
would  be  very  foolish,"  she  said,  with  drooping  eyes,  but  a 
quickly  beating  heart 

For  answer,  he  drew  a  tiny  pair  of  scissors  from  one  of  the 
pockets  of  his  vest,  and  held  them  out  to  her  with  a  smile. 

She  took  them  hesitatingly,  her  delicate  face  crimsoning  even 
to  the  light  locks  which  lay  upon  her  forehead ;  then,  with  ? 
hand  that  was  not  quite  steady,  she  clipped  a  silken  tress  from 
among  the  curling  ends  below  the  blue  ribbon  with  which  the 
braid  was  tied,  and  laid  it,  with  the  scissors,  in  his  extended 
hand. 

"Thank  you  ;  I  shall  always  keep  it,"  he  said,  with  glowing 
eyes,  as  he  put  it  carefully  between  the  leaves  of  a  small  note 
book  which  he  took  from  another  pocket. 

Then  he  took  her  hand  in  a  warm,  strong  clasp,  and,  with  a 
reluctantly  spoken  farewell,  a  lingering,  wistful  look  into  her 
lovely  blue  eyes,  he  went  away. 

As  he  disappeared  through  one  door-way  of  the  saloon,  the 
figure  of  a  woman,  clad  in  plain  dark  robes,  entered  by  the 
other,  and  threw  a  quick,  searching  giance  around  the  place. 

"I'm  in  search  of  a  girl  named  Stella  Gladstone,"  she  said, 
in  sharp,  incisive  tones,  as  her  eyes  fell  upon  our  lone  Star. 

The  young  girl  took  a  step  forward,  her  earnest  glance  fast 
ened  upon  that  plain  yet  not  unkind  face. 

"I  am  Stella  Gladstone,"  she  said,  simply. 

The  woman  looked  at  her  keenly  for  a  moment,  and  her 
homely  countenance  softened  into  something  like  pity  as  she 
noticed  her  delicate  beauty.  Then  she  said,  bluntly  : 

"Well,  miss,  if  I  was  ever  thankful  to  set  eyes  on  anybody, 
I  am  on  you,  or  I'm  much  mistaken.  I've  lain  awake  o'  nights 
thinking  of  you,  ever  since  we  heard  that  the  vessel  in  which 


MXS.     RICHARDS.  41 

you  sailed  was  lost  at  sea.  If  I  got  asleep  at  all,  I'd  wake  with 
a  start  from  horrid  dreams,  where  I  seemed  to  see  yoa  drowning 
and  heard  your  dreadful  cries.  Two  days  ago  another  vessel 
came  in,  bringing  in  some  of  those  who  had  been  wrecked. 
We  got  the  news  in  the  paper  the  night  before  they  landed, 
and  madam — Mrs.  Richards,  my  mistress — sent  me  down  post 
haste  next  morning  to  see  if  you  was  among  them.  Of  course 
you  wasn't,  so  I  went  home  and  dreamed  all  night  again.  Last 
night  news  came  that  more  had  been  rescued,  and  would  land 
at  this  pier  this  morning,  so  I  was  posted  off  again  to  find  you 
if  possible.  Well,"  she  continued,  heaving  a  deep  sigh  of  relief, 
"  I've  got  you  at  last,  and  I  hope  I  sha'n't  dream  about  you  to 
night.  Of  course  you  ain't  overstocked  with  baggage?''  she 
concluded,  with  a  grim  smile. 

"No,  I  have  nothing;  everything  was  lost,"  Star  replied, 
while  her  large,  earnest  eyes  studied  her  companion's  face,  and 
she  wondered  what  relation  she  bore  to  her,  and  who  ' '  Mrs. 
Richards,"  "madam,  "and  "my  mistress"  were. 

"  M ore's  the  pity  for  you,  then,  or  I'm  much  mistaken,"  the 
woman  said,  with  a  peculiar  compression  of  her  thin  lips. 

Then  she  added,  with  more  of  animation  than  she  had  yet 
displayed : 

"But,  bless  me  1  I  suppose  you'd  like  to  know  who  I  am, 
and  won't  be  much  surprised  when  I  tell  you  my  name  is 
Blunt;  my  name  is  like  my  nature,  and  I'm  madam's — Mrs. 
Richards'  housekeeper.  A  pretty  time  of  it  I  have,  too,  or  I'm 
much  mistaken ;  though  one  can  put  up  with  considerable 
where  their  bread  and  butter  and  '  fixin's '  are  concerned.  But 
come,  it's  time  we  were  off.  Have  you  had  your  breakfast?" 
she  concluded,  seeing  that  Star  had  grown  rather  pa/e,  and 
thinking  she  might  be  faint  and  hungry. 

"  Yes'm,"  she  answered,  while  a  wistful  expression  stole  into 
her  eyes,  and  she  stepped  back  and  looked  over  the  railing  into 
the  dining-rcom  below,  hoping  to  0(»e  Mr.  Rusevelt.  She  felt 


RICHARDS. 

^  — 

\ 

as  if  she  could  not  go  away  without  saying  farewell  to  her  kind 
fellow-traveler. 

But  he  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  she  saw  that  Mrs.  Blunt 
was  impatient. 

"  If  you  please,"  she  said,  timidly,  "  might  I  just  wait  a  few 
minutes  to  say  good-by  to  a  gentleman  who  has  been  very  kind 
to  me?" 

"Lor',  child!  it'll  be  no  use;  you'll  never  find  him,  and 
almost  everybody  has  gone  already.  Probably  he's  in  the  hands 
of  the  customs,  having  his  trunks  overhauled,  and  won't  want 
to  be  bothered,"  Mrs.  Blunt  returned,  good-naturedly,  but  really 
very  anxious  to  get  back  to  her  interrupted  duties. 

"But  he  has  no  trunks;  he  was  on  the  wreck  with  me,  and 
he  told  me  to  wait  here  for  him,"  bear  persisted,  almost  ready 
to  weep  at  the  thought  of  going  without  seeing  him. 

"I'm  sorry,  miss,  but  madam  will  be  having  one  of  her  tan 
trums  if  I  am  not  back  shortly,  as  there's  company  to  dinnei 
to-day,  and  its  nearly  ten  o'clock  now,"  Mrs.  Blunt,  returned, 
a  trifle  indifferently. 

She  turned  as  she  spoke  and  led  the  way  from  the  place,  and 
Star  was  forced  to  follow  her,  striving  hard  to  repress  the  sobs 
that  were  struggling  in  her  bosom  over  her  disappointment; 
and  when,  half  an  hour  later,  Mr.  Rosevelt  came  to  seek  her, 
he  was  as  much  disturbed  to  find  her  gone  as  she  had  been 
to  go. 

He  made  inquiries  regarding  her,  and  was  told  that  some 
one  had  come  for  her  and  taken  her  away,  but  no  one  knew 
whither  she  had  gone. 

This  relieved  his  mind  somewhat  as  to  her  safety,  but  did 
not  lessen  his  disappointment  at  thus  losing  sight  of  her  and 
not  knowing  where  to  seek  for  her ;  but  he  was  forced  to  go  his 
way  and  bear  it  as  he  could. 

Mrs.  Blunt  and  her  sad-hearted  charge  walked  quickly  from 
the  steamer,  and  having  no  baggage,  she  immediately  called  a 


MRS.    RICHARDS.  43 

carriage,  and  hurrying  Star  into  it,  gave  her  order  to  be  driven 
to  a  Brooklyn  ferry. 

Crossing  the  river,  they  took  another  carriage,  and  a  half 
hour's  drive  brought  them  to  a  stately  dwelling  in  a  fashionable 
portion  of  the  city. 

"There,  child!"  Mrs.  Blunt  ejaculated,  as  the  carriage 
stopped ;  ' '  we're  home,  and  I'm  glad  of  it,  for  you've  caused 
me  a  heap  of  anxiety  first  and  last,  or  I'm  much  mistaken; 
but  you're  safe  and  sound,  thank  Heaven,  though  you're  rather 
delicate-looking  for  what  I  imagine  is  before  you;"  and  this 
"much  mistaken"  individual  prepared  to  alight,  casting  a  look 
of  honest  pity  into  the  face  of  the  fair  girl  as  she  did  so. 

Star  looked  surprised  at  this  somewhat  ambiguous  speech, 
and  would  have  liked  to  ask  what  it  meant,  but  the  woman 
gave  her  no  opportunity,  paying  for  and  dismissing  the  carriage 
in  her  quick,  energetic  way,  and  then  led  her  around  to  a  side 
deer  and  entered  the  mansion. 

Beckoning  Star  to  follow  her,  she  passed  through  a  lofty  hall 
and  up  a  wide,  thickly  carpeted  staircase,  where  on  every  hand 
there  were  evidences  of  wealth  and  luxury. 

Rapping  upon  a  door  at  the  front  end  of  the  upper  hall,  a 
v©ice  bade  her  enter,  and  the  woman  opened  it  and  passed  in, 
and  Star  following,  saw  a  handsome  woman  of  perhaps  forty 
years,  dressed  with  great  elegance  and  taste,  sitting  in  a  low 
rocker  by  a  window. 

She  turned  an  inquiring  glance  upon  Mrs.  Blunt  as  she  ad 
vanced.  She  could  not  see  Star,  as  she  was  directly  behind  her 
and  hidden  by  her  tall  figure. 

"Well,  madam,  I've  found  her  at  last,  and  here  she  is,  "she 
said,  in  a  satisfied  tone,  and  stepped  one  side  to  present  the 
young  girl. 

Madam  heaved  a  sigh — it  might  have  been  of  relief,  it  might 
have  been  the  reverse ;  no  one  could  have  told  which  from  the 


44  JWtS-    RICHARDS. 

expression  of  her  face — as  she  bent  a  critical  glance  upon  th« 
young  stranger  who  had  come  to  find  a  home  in  her  house. 

She  arose,  came  forward,  and  studied  the  fair,  downcast  face ; 
for  Star,  after  the  first  glance,  knew  she  would  receive  no  tender 
welcome  from  that  cold,  proud  woman,  and  her  heart  sank  like 
a  dead  weight  in  her  bosom. 

Something  like  a  frown  gathered  on  the  woman's  broT.v  as  she 
marked  her  exceeding  loveliness. 

"Well,  Stella,  you  have  had  a  hard  voyage, "she  began,  in 
smooth,  cool  tones,  which  made  Star  shrink  from  her  and 
shiver  slightly,  they  were  so  distant  and  devoid  of  feeling.  ' '  I 
am  glad,  however,"  she  went  on,  "that  you  are  safe,  and  I 
hope,  now  that  you  are  here  and  I  am  to  give  you  a  home,  you 
will  do  your  best  to  please  me.  You  look  very  much  like  your 
mother  as  I  remember  her,  although  I  trust  your  face  will  not 
prove  as  great  a  misfortune  to  you  as  hers  did  to  her. " 

This  last  statement  was  made  with  some  severity.  Evidently 
Mrs.  Richards  was  not  pleased  to  find  the  new  arrival  so  beau 
tiful  in  face  and  figure. 

"  Mamma  unfortunate!  How?"  Star  asked,  surprise  loosen 
ing  her  tongue. 

"  Is  it  possible  that  you  do  not  know  how  she  disgraced  her 
self  and  family?"  madam  demanded,  sternly,  as  if  in  some  way 
Star  was  to  blame  for  said  disgrace.  "Have  you  never  been 
told  how  a  poor  clergyman  once  preached  in  the  church  where 
vour  mother  attended  worship,  fell  in  love  with  her  pretty  face, 
and  finally  persuaded  her  to  marry  him,  to  the  utter  disregard 
of  her  whole  family,  who  were  highly  respectable  people. " 

Star's  cheeks  glowed  hotly  beneath  this  tirade,  and  her  blue 
eyes  flamed  at  this  slur  upon  her  idolized  parents. 

"  I  do  not  consider  mamma's  marriage  anything  of  a  '  mis 
fortune  '  or  a  '  digrace, ' "  she  answered,  with  something  of 
hauteur,  and  speaking  very  distinctly.  "She  was  very  happy 
all  her  life,  and  papa  was  a  splendid  man — a  superior  man, " 


MRS.     RICHARDS. 


45 


Mrs.  "ichards  smiled  in  a  lofty  kind  of  way,  as  she  returned : 

"It  is  very  natural,  I  suppose,  that  you  should  b«  your 
father's  champion ;  nevertheless  he  was  not,  socially,  your 
mother's  equal,  and  she  degraded  herself  in  the  eyes  of  all  her 
family  by  marrying  a  penniless  preacher,  and  a  dissenter,  too." 

Star's  lips  parted  again,  as  if  about  to  utter  an  indignant 
protest  to  this  statement ;  but,  with  a  wave  of  her  white  hand, 
Mrs.  Richards  coolly  dismissed  the  subject  and  turned  again  to 
Mrs.  Blunt. 

"I  suppose  everything  belonging  to  her  was  lost,"  she  said. 

4 '  Yes,  madam ;  the  poor  child  has  nothing  in  the  world  save 
what  she  has  on, "  that  woman  answered,  with  a  compassionate 
glance  at  Star. 

"That  is  awkward;  but  you  can  take  her  to  the  sewing- 
room  and  tell  Miss  Baker  to  measure  her  for  a  couple  of 
dresses;  tell  her  to  make  them  from  that  piece  of  print  that  I 
purchased  yesterday.  Can  you  sew,  Stella?"  she  asked,  turning 
again  to  the  young  girl,  whom  she  had  not  even  invited  to  be 
seated. 

"  Yes'm  ;  mamma  taught  me  to  sew  when  I  was  quite  young, 
and  I  have  attended  to  my  own  wardrobe,  with  the  aid  of  a 
seamstress,  ever  since  she  died." 

"That  is  well.  You  can  then  assist  Miss  Baker  about  your 
dresses,  and  when  they  are  completed  I  will  arrange  about  your 
other  duties.  You  can  go  now.  Mrs.  Blunt  will  show  you  the 
way  to  your  room,  where  you  can  lay  aside  your  shawl  and  hat 
and  then  go  to  the  sewing-room." 

Star  gave  the  woman  a  stare  of  blank  astonishment. 

She  had  been  most  delicately  and  tenderly  reared  ;  her  edu 
cation  had  been  carefully  superintended  by  her  father,  and  the 
constant  companionship  of  her  refined  and  intellectual  mother 
had  made  her  a  little  lady  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  She  had 
been  taught  to  be  kind  and  courteous  to  every  one;  to  sym 
pathize  with  people  in  trouble ;  to  rejoice  with  them  in  pros- 


46  MRS-     RICHARDS. 

perity ;  and  now  this  woman — this  cousin  to  her  mother — thig 
human  being,  whom  she  knew  her  mother  once  saved  from  a 
dreadful  death — had  received  her,  after  her  long  and  perilous 
voyage,  her  suffering  and  hardships,  in  this  unfeeling,  indif 
ferent  way. 

She  had  not  even  taken  her  hand  at  greeting ;  she  had  looked 
her  over  and  inspected  her  with  a  critical  stare,  as  if  she  were 
some  beast  of  burden  that  she  was  buying  to  toil  for  her.  She 
had  not  offered  her  the  commonest  hospitalities  of  her  house, 
or  given  her  one  kind  word  or  look. 

She  had  instead  simply,  and  in  the  coolest  manner  possible, 
commented  on  her  marvelous  escape  from  death,  and  then  in 
sulted  her  by  speaking  disparagingly  of  her  parents;  and  now 
she  had  dismissed  her  from  her  presence  as  if  she  had  been 
a  menial,  ordered  two  print  dresses  made  for  her,  without  a 
thought  apparently  of  other  clothing  so  necessary  to  her  after 
being  so  long  without  a  change  of  any  kind. 

She  took  a  step  forward,  her  slight  form  drawn  proudly  erect, 
the  hot,  indignant  blood  surging  over  neck,  face,  and  brow,  and 
was  about  to  demand  the  meaning  of  this  strange  treatment, 
when  Mrs.  Richards,  seeing  her  intentions,  said,  haughtily,  and 
in  a  tone  not  to  be  mistaken  : 

"I  told  you  that  you  could  go,  Stella.  Did  you  under 
stand  me  ?" 

With  a  heaving  bosom  and  flashing  eyes,  Star  bowed  with  a 
sort  of  stately  grace,  turned  and  followed  Mrs.  Blunt  from  the 
room  with  the  step  of  a  queen ;  but  when  the  door  was  shut 
behind  them,  she  stopped  and  confronted  that  good  though 
eccentric  woman  with  an  aspect  which,  to  say  the  least,  aston 
ished  her. 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT.  47 


CHAPTER  V. 

BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

"What  does  this  mean  ?"  she  demanded,  passionately.  "Why 
am  I  received  in  this  strange,  this  heartless  manner,  by  my 
mother's  cousin?  Why  does  she  presume  to  cast  aspersions 
upon  my  father  and  mother,  and  talk  about  print  dresses,  and 
assigning  me  duties  as  if  I  were  a  mere  servant?" 

Mrs.  Blant's  breath  was  fairly  taken  away  by  these  swift,  in 
dignant  sentences  and  questions,  and  she  could  only  gaze  at 
the  young  girl  in  speechless  surprise  for  a  few  moments. 

Star  was  wondrously  beautiful  then,  in  spite  of  her  soiled  and 
disordered  attire,  with  her  flashing  eyes,  her  blazing  cheeks,  her 
delicate,  dilating  nostrils,  her  scornful,  curling  lips,  and  proudlv 
poised  head. 

"What  does  it  mean,  I  say?"  repeated  Star,  impatient  at  the 
woman's  silence. 

Mrs.  Blunt  found  her'tongue  at  last. 

"  Mercy  on  us,  child  !"  she  ejaculated,  her  astonishment  ex 
tending  to  her  tones.  "You've  a  temper  of  your  own,  or  I'm 
much  mistaken;  and  you'll  need  it,  too,  if  you're  going  to  live 
in  this  house." 

Then  she  added,  more  thoughtfully  : 

"I'm  afraid,  miss,  you've  come  over  here  with  a  wrong  im 
pression — I  really  am. " 

"What  do  you  mean?"  Star  asked.  "How  have  I  com* 
with  a  wrong  impression?" 

"What  did  you  expect  when  you  started  to  come  to  America, 
to  live  with  Mrs.  Richards?"  the  housekeeper  asked,  evading 
her  questions  by  putting  another. 


48  BITTER  DISAPPOINTMENT. 

"I  expected  that  my  mother's  cousin,  who  papa  said,  was 
very  wealthy,  and  able  to  take  care  of  me,  and  had  promised 
him  to  do  so,  would  give  me  a  place  in  her  home  as  a  member 
of  her  family,  and  give  me  an  opportunity  to  perfect  my  edu 
cation,  so  that  I  might  be  able,  by  and  by,  to  take  care  of  my 
self.  This  was  what  my  father  understood  her  promise  to  me 
to  mean — this  was  what  I  expected.  But  from  the  reception 
she  has  given  me — cold  and  heartless — and  as  1  would  not 
have  received  the  meanest  beggar  who  came  to  my  door — from 
disrespectful  and  insulting  remarks  about  my  parents,  and  what 
she  said  about  my  'duties',  I  am  afraid  that  my  position  here 
will  not  be  a  pleasant  one. " 

Mrs.  Blunt's  homely  face  was  full  of  pity  as  she  listened  to 
what  Star  said. 

*  *Poor  child/' she  began,  "you  have  expected  entirely  too 
much,  and  perhaps  it  would  be  a  mercy  to  tell  you  at  once  how 
mistaken  you  are  if  you  think  you  are  going  to  find  a  pleasant 
home  and  a  chance  to  get  much  of  an  education  here.  When 
madam  got  your  father's  letter  and  knew  that  you  were  soon  to 
be  an  orphan,  she  said  at  once  that  it  was  'just  the  thing,'  and 
you  would  do  nicely  to  supply  the  place  of  Maggie  Flynn,  the 
chamber  and  errand  girl,  and  who  was  not  exactly  trustworthy. 
She  said  the  'English  peasants  always  made  good  servants, 'and 
as  you  were  young  and  would  be  wholly  dependent  on  her,  she 
could  train  you  according  to  her  own  notions.  And,  to  make 
a  long  story  short,  you  are  to  make  beds  and  do  chamber  work 
generally,  wait  upon  madam  and  run  of  errands." 

And  the  housekeeper  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief  that  the  difficult 
explanation  was  over.  And  difficult  it  was,  with  those  glittering 
sapphire  eyes  fixed  so  intently  upon  her,  and  that  beautiful  face 
gleaming  with  scorn  and  indigna'.ion. 

"In  other  words,  she  intends  to  make  a  servant — a  slave  of 
me,"  she  said,  with  quiet  sarcasm,  but  uplifted  head. 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 


49 


"  Ye-es — if  you  must  put  it  so,  miss,"  Mrs.  Blunt  admitted, 
reluctantly. 

"What  wages  am  I  to  expect?"  and  the  clear  young  voice 
rang  with  intense  scorn. 

"Wages?" 

"Yes,  wages.  What  did  she  pay  Maggie  Flynn?"  Star  de 
manded,  with  a  bitter  smile. 

"Six  dollars  a  month;  but — but  I  don't  think  madam  has 
thought  about  wages  for  you.  She  is  to  give  you  a  home  for 
what  you  can  do ;  and  besides  what  I  have  told  you,  you  are  to 
wait  upon  Miss  Josephine,  who  is  not  sparing  of  her  conv 
mands,  either." 

"  Wh«  is  Miss  Josephine,  pray?" 

"The  young  lady  of  the  house — Mrs.  Richards'  daughter." 

"How  old  is  she?" 

"Just  turned  eighteen." 

"Two  years  my  senior,"  murmured  Star,  reflectively.  "Well, 
Mrs.  Blunt,"  she  added,  after  a  moment  or  two,  and  looking 
up  with  a  clearer  face,  "show  me  to  my  room,  please,  and  let 
me  have  a  good  bath,  for  I  need  refreshing  sadly.  If  only  I 
might  have  some  clean  underclothing  to  put  on,"  she  added, 
wistfully. 

"You  shall,"  the  woman  quickly  returned.  "I  suppose 
madam  never  thought  of  it,  and  it  is  a  shame.  There,  wait 
here,"  she  added,  as  she  threw  open  the  door  of  a  small  room 
on  the  front  of  the  house  in  the  third  story,  "and  I  will  bring 
you  a  change  of  Miss  Josephine's.  They  will  be  a  trifle  too 
large,  but  never  mind  so  that  you're  comfortable." 

She  sped  away,  and  as  Star  removed  her  hat  and  shawl  she 
looked  about  her. 

The  room  was  very  scantily  furnished,  but  it  was  clean,  and 
as  there  was  only  a  single  bed  in  it,  she  knew  she  was  to  have 
it  to  herself— a  point  which  she  congratulated  herself  upon,  as 


5o  BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

it  would  have  been  very  obnoxious  to  her  to  room  with  one  of 
the  servants. 

Mrs.  Blunt  soon  returned,  bringing  clean,  fresh  garments, 
and  Star  felt  that  she  had  never  realized  before  how  great  a 
luxury  cleanliness  was. 

"You  can  go  to  the  bath-room  at  the  end  of  the  hall,"  she 
said,  laying  them  over  Star's  arm.  "I  have  fixed  the  tub  for 
you,  lining  it  with  a  clean  sheet,  so  that  you  need  not  feel  shy 
about  Using  it.  I  know  you'll  feel  a  great  deal  better  after  it ; 
then  I'll  come  to  you  again  in  a  half  or  three-quarters  of  an 
hour,  and  take  you  to  Miss  Baker;  and — I  forgot — here's  a 
comb  T've  never  used." 

Star  felt  very  grateful  to  the  kind-hearted  creature,  and  made 
the  most  of  her  opportunity. 

She  had  a  refreshing  bath,  then  combed  out  her  luxuriant 
hair,  re-arranging  it  as  nicely  and  carefully  as  she  had  been 
taught  to  do  in  her  own  home,  and  when  all  was  done  she 
looked  as  bright  and  felt  as  fresh  as  a  new  creature. 

When  Mrs.  Blunt  returned  at  the  end  of  an  hour,  her  plain 
face  relaxed  into  a  smile,  though  Star  had  thought  that  smiles 
were  at  a  discount  with  her  as  a  general  thing. 

"Well,  you  do  look  nice,  or  I'm  much  mistaken;  and  those 
hands! — they're  much  too  fine  and  nice,  in  my  opinion,  foi 
drudgery;"  and  the  woman  glanced  admiringly  at  those  small 
members,  of  which,  to  be  truthful,  Star  was  a  little  proud. 

"Well,  I  am  ready  to  go  to  Miss  Baker,"  she  said,  with  a 
little  sigh.  "It  is  evident  that  I  shall  not  be  in  a  condition 
to  do  any  kind  of  work,  or  drudgery,  as  you  call  it,  until  I  am 
properly  clad. " 

"She's  true  blue,  and  it's  an  abomination  to  make  a  servant 
of  her,"  muttered  the  housekeeper,  as  she  led  the  way  to  the 
sewing-room. 

Miss  Baker  was  in  the  midst  oi  fitting  a  party-dress  for  Miss 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT.  5 1 

Josephine—  a  rather  fine-looking  girl,  with  black  eyes  and  hair, 
a  brilliant  color,  and  a  full,  graceful  figure. 

Mrs.  Blunt  introduced  Star,  and  then  gave  Mrs.  Richards' 
orders  about  the  ' '  two  print  dresses. " 

"Goodness  gracious!  are  you  Stella  Gladstone?"  ejaculated 
the  pet  and  pride  of  the  Richards  mansion,  with  a  stare  of 
surprise. 

Star  bowed  a  cold  assent  to  this  rude  salutation,  and  then 
walked  quietly  across  the  room  and  seated  herself  by  a  window 

Miss  Baker,  however,  had  nodded  and  smiled  kindly  at  her, 
and  she  felt  sure  that  she  should  like  the  weary-looking  seam 
stress. 

' '  Well,  I  guess  mamma  will  be  glad  you  have  come, "  Jose 
phine  pursued ;  ' '  she  has  been  nearly  plagued  to  death  with 
that  Maggie  Flynn — you're  to  take  her  place,  you  know,  as 
chambermaid  and  errand-girl." 

Star  did  not  reply,  and  Miss  Baker  shot  an  indignant  glance 
at  the  rude  girl. 

The  young  stranger's  heart  was  swelling  within  her  until  it 
was  nearly  ready  to  burst  with  insulted  pride  and  bitter  dis 
appointment.  She  had  longed,  when  she  had  found  herself 
alone  in  her  room,  to  relieve  herself  with  a  burst  of  passionate 
weeping,  but  she  dare  not  give  way  to  it  lest  it  should  unfit  her 
for  everything  during  the  day;  but  now  it  seemed  as  if  she 
could  not  endure  much  more. 

She  had  never  dreamed  that  such  a  reception  as  this  awaited 
her. 

She  had  pictured  to  herself,  many  times,  being  drawn  into 
the  arms  of  a  pleasant,  gentle-voiced  woman,  who  had  loved 
her  mother,  and  who  would  love  her  for  that  mother's  sake,  if 
not  for  her  own.  She  had  thought  to  twine  her  arms  about 
her  neck,  and,  laying  her  head  upon  a  sympathizing  bosom, 
tell  her  of  her  dear  parents,  what  their  hopes  and  plans  had 
been  for  her,  and  what  her  own  desires  for  the  future  were, 


5*  BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

and  expected  to  receive  only  kind  and  encouraging  words  in 
return. 

How  different  it  all  was,  and  how  cruel  that  all  her  hopes 
must  be  crushed  in  this  unfeeling  way ! 

She  had  been  ambitious  to  become  a  cultivated  woman  and 
scholar,  and  to  follow  out  her  father's  plans  for  her  education, 
and  come  up  to  his  standard,  which  was  a  high  one. 

But  instead  she  found  she-  was  to  be  degraded  to  the  level  of 
a  common  servant,  all  her  prospects  destroyed,  all  her  hopes 
crushed,  and  she  felt  as  if  she  could  not  bear  it. 

"I  will  not  submit  to  it.  I  will  not  give  up  my  hopes.  I 
will  not  be  a  servant, "  she  kept  saying  over  and  over  to  herself, 
while  she  sat  there  and  wailed  for  Miss  Baker  to  attend  to  hei 
needs,  and  felt  rather  than  saw  Josephine's  impertinent  inspec 
tion  of  her  personal  appearance. 

"You've  got  a  wonderful  head  of  hair,"  that  young  lady  at 
length  observed,  as  she  approached  her  after  being  released 
from  the  seamstress'  hands.  "I  think  I  never  saw  such  a  heavy 
braid  before;  and  I  believe  it  will  just  match  Nellie  Colton's; 
she  is  papa's  niece.  I'll  tell  mamma  to  have  a  barber  come 
and  cut  it  off.  Of  course  you  can't  afford  the  time  now  to 
take  care  of  it,  and  it  would  make  such  a  splendid  band  for 
Nell." 

Star  regarded  her  in  blank  astonishment  The  effrontery  of 
this  young  lady  was  simply  overpowering. 

"Indeed  1"  she  at  last  quietly  replied.  "If  Miss  Colton  is  in 
need  of  a  band  of  hair,  she  will  doubtless  find  it  at  almost  any 
hair  store  in  the  city.  I  intend  to  keep  mine. " 

Miss  Richards  colored  angrily,  for  Star's  great  blue  eyes  met 
hers  fearlessly,  and  her  tone  betrayed  an  independence  which 
did  not  promise  well  for  any  tyranny  which  she  might  expect  to 
exercise  over  her  in  the  future. 

"You  will  do  exactly  as  mamma  desires,  miss, "she  cried, 
and  then  turned  and  left  the  room. 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT,  53 

Star's  fece  was  also  very  red,  and  she  swallowed  an  angry  sob 
as  she  turned  to  Miss  Baker. 

' '  I  am  ready  to  sew, "  was  all  that  she  could  say. 

She  longed  to  get  some  work  into  her  hands,  hoping  thus  to 
distract  her  thoughts  from  self  and  her  bitter  disappointment. 

The  seamstress  cut  off  the  breadths  of  a  skirt  and  gave  them 
to  her,  pitying  the  pretty,  yet  despised,  stranger  from  the  bottom 
of  her  heart 

"May  I  use  the  machine?"  the  young  girl  asked,  glancing 
at  that  labor-saving  instrument 

"Do  you  know  how?" 

"Yes'm." 

' '  Very  well.  This  is  a  Florence,  and  I  will  show  you  how 
to  thread  it" 

"  I  know  how,  thank  you.  Mamma  had  a  Florence,  and  I 
have  often  used  it. " 

She  arose,  and  going  to  it  Miss  Baker  saw  at  once  that  she 
was  fully  capable  of  using  it. 

All  day  long  she  stitched  and  sewed,  working  quietly,  yet 
'apidly,  and  by  night  one  dress  was  nearly  completed. 

"You  sew  very  nicely,"  Miss  Baker  said,  as  she  examined 
her  work  late  in  the  afternoon,  "and  this  print  will  make  you 
a  very  neat  dress.  I  wish  Mrs.  Richards  would  allow  me  to 
trim  it,  but  she  told  me  to  make  it  plain.  She  is  in  a  hurry 
about  the  other  work." 

Star  said  nothing  to  this,  but  after  the  seamstress  had  gone 
home,  she  cut  and  pieced  together  some  dainty  ruffles  from 
some  scraps  that  had  been  thrown  aside;  and  all  the  long 
evening,  while  the  family  were  down  stairs  entertaining  visitors 
and  making  merry,  she  was  sewing  and  finishing  off  the  print 
dress,  that  she  might  have  something  fresh  and  clean  for  the 
morning. 

But  she  was,  oh  !  so  sad  and  lonely,  and  she  could  not  help 
thinking  of  the  previous  night,  when  she  had  sat  in  the  gay 


54 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 


saloon  of  the  steamer  and  chatted  so  sociably  with  Archibald 
Sherbrooke,  and  felt  a  strange  thrill  of  happiness  in  sitting 
beside  him. 

She  had  not  been  allowed  to  eat  with  the  family  during  the 
day.  She  had  not  seen  Mrs.  Richards,  and  did  not  even  know 
of  how  many  members  the  household  consisted.  It  was  evident 
that  she  was  to  be  ignored,  except  as  her  services  were  required, 
that  she  was  to  be  made  a  drudge,  and  her  proud  young  spirit 
resented  it  with  all  the  strength  of  her  nature. 

"  I  will  never  live  so ;  I  am  above  it.  I  am  capable  of  better 
things,  and  I  will  not  consent  to  become  a  nonentity, "  her  heart 
kept  saying,  over  and  over  again. 

But  she  was  wholly  dependent  upon  these  people ;  her  father 
had  consigned  her  to  their  care.  She  had  no  money,  save  a 
letter  of  credit  for  a  hundred  pounds,  the  sum  total  realized 
from  the  sale  of  all  the  dear  objects  which  she  had  been  accus 
tomed  to  see  in  her  home  since  her  infancy,  and  this  she  had 
been  advised,  by  the  lawyer  whom  Mr.  Gladstone  had  chosen 
to  settle  his  affairs,  to  consign  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Richards. 
But  she  had  concluded  since  morning  to  say  nothing  about  it 
to  any  one. 

She  had  no  other  friends;  if  she  had  possessed  them  she 
would  have  flown  to  them  at  once.  She  was  a  forlorn  strangei 
among  strangers,  and  she  could  see  no  way  at  present  out  of 
the  difficulties  surrounding  her. 

She  had  eaten  with  Mrs.  Blunt,  who  was  very  kind  to  her, 
and  tried  to  tempt  her  appetite  with  all  the  daintiest  bits  upon 
the  table;  but  the  poor  child  was  so  sick  at  heart  that  she 
could  scarcely  swallow  a  mouthful. 

When  Miss  Baker  came  the  next  morning,  she  looked  the 
surprise  she  felt,  as  she  opened  the  sewing-room  door  and  saw 
Star  seated  within,  busily  sewing  upon  the  dress  she  had  been 
making  for  Josephine  the  day  before. 

And  truly  the  young  girl  was  a  goodly  sight  to  behold. 


BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 


55 


Her  beautiful  hair  had  been  brushed  until  it  shone  like  satin, 
and  then  gathered  into  a  simple  knot  at  the  back  of  her  head — 
she  did  not  intend  to  have  it  cut  off,  and  she  had  dressed  it  in 
this  way  so  as  not  to  attract  attention  to  it — while  the  clustering 
locks  which  fell  over  her  forehead,  almost  touching  her  eye 
brows,  gave  a  piquant  expression  to  her  face.  Her  eyes  were 
bright,  in  spite  of  her  "night  of  tears"  and  longing  for  the 
dear  old  home  and  familiar  faces  over  the  sea;  her  cheeks 
delicately  flushed,  and  the  fresh  print  dress,  which  fitted  her 
slight,  graceful  figure  perfectly,  and  which  she  had  so  tastefully 
trimmed,  could  not  have  been  more  becoming  if  it  had  been 
made  of  the  richest  materials. 

' '  Why,  Miss  Gladstone,  however  did  you  manage  to  finish 
your  dress,  and  put  so  much  extra  work  into  it,  after  I  left  last 
night?"  the  dressmaker  asked,  with  some  misgivings  about 
madam's  approval  when  she  should  see  it 

"  I  managed  it  because  I  needed  it,"  Star  answered.  "  1  did 
not  like  to  put  on  the  dress  I  wore  on  the  steamer  again,  it  was 
so  soiled  and  disfigured ;  and  I  ruffled  it  because  I  like  pretty 
things  and  have  been  accustomed  to  them." 

"I  am  afraid  Mrs.  Richards  will  object  to  so  much  trim' 
ming,  for  she  was  particular  to  mention  that  it  should  be 
'plain,' "  said  Miss  Baker,  glancing  dubiously  at  the  ruffles  up 
and  down  the  front,  and  at  the  neck  and  wrists. 

Star  made  no  reply  to  this,  but  her  red  lips  settled  them 
selves  a  trifle  more  firmly,  and  her  small  head  was  lifted  with  a 
quick,  proud  movement,  which  told  that  she  intended  to  exer 
cise  her  own  taste  as  far  as  she  was  able  in  the  matter  of  her 
own  wardrobe. 

The  second  morning  after  her  advent  at  the  Richards'  man 
sion,  as  she  was  descending  to  her  breakfast,  she  suddenly  en 
countered  a  portly  but  good-natured  looking  gentleman  on  the 
stairs. 

She  glanced  up  at  him,  and  was  about  to  pass  on  with  a 


56  BITTER    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

slight  though  graceful  salutation,  when  he  stopped  short  and 
regarded  her  with  surprise. 

"Holloa!  who  are  you?"  he  asked,  brusquely,  yet  not  un 
kindly. 

Star  colored  a  lovely  pink,  as  she  replied,  modestly  : 

"I  am  Star — or,  I  should  say,  Stella  Gladstone." 

"Stella — Star  Gladstone  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  surprise  Then 
he  added,  with  an  appreciative  glance  at  her  golden  head  with 
its  dainty  forelocks,  her  great,  star-like  eyes,  and  red  lips  : 

"That  sounds  well — veiy  appropriate,   too,   I  should   say 
When  did  you  arrive?     We  have  been  very  anxious  on  your 
account. " 

Star's  scarlet  lips  curled  slightly. 

It  appeared  that  he  had  not  been  notified  of  her  arrival — 
Mrs.  Richards  had  not  considered  it  necessary  to  speak  of  the 
welfare  of  one  whom  she  intended  to  make  her  servant. 

They  had  been  anxious  on  her  account ! 

He  might  have  experienced  some  uneasiness  concerning  her; 
his  kind  eyes  and  pleasant  face  seemed  to  indicate  a  good  heart ; 
but  the  other  members  of  his  family,  she  judged,  would  not 
have  grieved  so  very  much  if  she  had  really  gone  to  the  bottom 
of  the  ocean,  as  they  feared  she  had. 

"I  arrived  the  day  before  yesterday — Tuesday,"  she  said, 
somewhat  coldly,  in  reply  to  his  question. 

"Ah!  I  was  in  Chicago  that  day — reached  home  last  night. 
You've  had  a  pretty  hard  time,  little  girl,  haven't  you  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  Star  returned,  wondering  it  he  had  any  idea  how 
hard,  while  the  tears  rushed  unbidden  to  her  eyes  at  his  kind 
tone.  "I  never  expected  to  see  land  again,"  she  added,  trying 
hard  to  suppress  a  sob,  as  she  thought  she  would  almost  rather 
have  died  than  come  among  such  cold-hearted  people  as  her 
mother's  cousin's  family  appeared  to  be. 

"Well,  well,  you  are  safe  now,  thank  Heaven,  and  you  must 


'STELLAR    APPEAL.  57 

try  to  be  as  happy  as  possible  with  us,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  still 
more  kindly  as  he  remarked  her  agitation. 

Star  lifted  her  great  eyes  to  his  with  a  look  of  surprise.  Could 
it  be  possible  that  he  did  not  know  the  position  she  was  destined 
to  occupy  in  his  household  ? 

It  certainly  appeared  so,  for  he  was  looking  down  upon  her 
with  admiration  and  even  something  of  affection. 

' '  Thank  you,  sir ;  you  are  very  kind, "  she  said,  with  a  sigh, 
as  she  turned  sadly  away  and  left  him. 


CHAPTER  VL 
STELLA'S    APPIAL. 

Star  went  down  to  the  housekeeper's  room  after  her  en 
counter  with  Mr.  Richards,  and  ate  her  breakfast  in  a  very 
thoughtful  mood. 

Mrs.  Blunt  watched  her  curiously,  and  with  a  troubled  ex 
pression  on  her  honest  face. 

"Child,  if  you  don't  eat  more  you'll  die,  or  I'm  much  mis 
taken,"  and  she  deftly  slipped  a  dainty  slice  of  buttered  toast 
on  her  plate  as  she  spoke. 

"Thank  you,  Mrs.  Blunt,  but  I  believe  I  am  not  very  hungry 
this  morning,  she  returned,  with  a  smile. 

"I  should  think  not,  indeed,  nor  at  any  other  time.  You 
haven't  eaten  a  'square  meal'  since  you  came  into  this  house," 
the  good  woman  said,  with  an  injured  air. 

Star  was  too  deeply  occupied  to  heed  it,  and  finishing  her 
coffee  in  silence,  arose  and  proceeded  slowly  up  stairs  to  the 
sewing-room,  intending  to  finish  her  other  dress  that  morning. 


eg  STELLA'S    APPEAL. 

There  was  a  look  of  resolution  on  her  young  face ;  her  eyes 
gleamed  with  a  new  purpose. 

"I  will  do  it,"  she  murmured,  as  she  stood  thoughtfully 
outside  the  door  a  moment,  one  small  hand  resting  upon  the 
knob.  "  I  may  as  well  make  a  bold  stroke  for  myself  at  once, 
or  I  shall  sink  into  nothingness.  I  must  have  an  education  ;  I 
cannot — I  will  not  grow  up  ignorant,  and  have  poor  papa's 
kind  care  in  the  past  all  go  for  nothing. " 

She  turned  the  handle  of  the  door  and  passed  into  the  room. 

She  found  Mrs.  Richards  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  floor, 
holding  up  the  unfinished  dress  in  both  hands,  and  inspecting 
it  with  no  pleasant  expression  of  countenance. 

She  glanced  at  the  young  girl  as  she  entered,  and  as  her 
keen  eyes  ran  over  her  dainty  figure  in  its  new  and  tasteful 
garment,  her  face  grew  dark. 

Star  bade  her  a  courteous  "good-morning,"  but  she  did  not 
even  deign  to  notice  the  salutation. 

"Who  trimmed  these  dresses?"  she  demanded,  sharply. 

"I  did,"  Star  answered. 

"Who  told  you  to  do  it?" 

"No  one,  marm ;  but  I  like  things  made  pretty,  and  as  there 
were  plenty  of  pieces  which  could  not  be  used  in  any  other 
way,  I  made  them  up  into  ruffles." 

Star  spoke  very  quietly,  but  a  bright  red  spot  burned  on 
either  cheek. 

"You  like  '  things  pretty,'  do  you?  And  that  is  the  way  you 
calculate  to  spend  your  time  in  this  house,  I  suppose?"  Mrs. 
Richards  retorted,  sarcastically. 

She  received  no  reply,  and  continued  : 

"The  pieces  you  have  cut  up  into  senseless  ruffles  I  intended 
you  should  make  into  patch-work  for  the  servants'  beds  during 
your  odd  minutes." 

Star  glanced  at  the  numerous  "senseless  ruffles"  which  en- 


STELLA'S    APPEAL. 


59 


circled  the  indignant  matron's  ample  figure,  and  thought  there 
might  be  such  a  thing  as  a  distinction  without  a  difference. 

"I've  half  a  mind  to  make  you  sit  right  down  and  rip  off 
every  one,"  Mrs.  Richards  proceeded,  still  chafing  over  the 
matter,  and  flushing  as  she  noticed  Star's  glance  and  half  read 
her  thought.  "The  idea  of  a  chambermaid  with  ruffles  and 
furbelows !  And  I  do  believe  that  seamstress  has  made  your 
dress  so  tight  that  you  cannot  breathe,"  she  concluded,  pounc 
ing  upon  the  poor  girl  to  make  an  examination  of  the  offensive 
robe,  for  the  slight;  graceful  figure  before  her  was  not  at  all 
pleasing  to  her. 

"No,  marm,  my  dress  is  not  tight;  it  only  fits  me  nicely;" 
and  Star's  slender  fingers  laid  over  quite  a  plait,  thus  showing 
that  there  was  plenty  of  room  for  inflating  her  lungs  to  their 
utmost  capacity. 

"Then  you  are  laced,"  persisted  madam. 

"Laced?"  repeated  Star,  who  did  not  quite  understand  the 
obnoxious  term. 

' '  Yes ;  your  corsets  are  too  tight. " 

4 'Oh!  I  never  wear  corsets;  mamma  did  not  approve  of 
them." 

Mrs.  Richards  bit  her  lips  and  colored  with  vexation.  She 
was  not  showing  to  advantage  in  this  controversy.  It  was  clear 
that  Star's  perfect  form  was  the  work  of  nature's  own  hand,  and 
she  would  be  obliged  to  put  up  with  it,  unless  she  tied  her  up 
in  a  sack  to  hide  its  comely  outlines. 

"Well,"  she  said,  throwing  aside  the  dress  she  had  been 
examining,  •'  I  want  you  to  come  with  me  now ;  I  am  going 
to  assign  you  your  regular  work.  For  one  thing,  you  are  to 
make  all  the  beds  in  the  house,  except  those  in  the  servants' 
rooms ;  then  you  are  to  keep  Josephine's  and  mine  in  order, 
wait  upon  us  generally,  and  sew  when  there  is  nothing  else  to 
be  done." 

Star  stood  looking  down  at  the  carpet  in  a  thoughtful  way 


g0  STELLAR    APPEAL. 

while  her  would-be  task  mistress  reeled  off  these  instructions ; 
then  she  raised  her  eyes,  which  looked  almost  black  instead 
of  their  usual  beautiful  blue,  and  fixed  them  full  upon  the 
woman's  face. 

"Did  you  understand,"  she  began,  "when  papa  wrote  to 
you,  asking  you  to  assume  the  guardianship  of  his  only  child 
and  superintend  her  future  education,  that  he  had  any  idea  that 
I  should  come  into  your  family  as  a  servant?  I  am  sixteen 
years  old,  and  although  I  have  been  taught  to  do  many  things 
in  my  home,  and  to  do  them  well,  I  have  never  done  any  hard 
work.  I  have  spent  most  of  my  time  in  study,  and  papa  left 
written  instructions  with  me  regarding  my  future  course  in  that 
direction.  I  am  very  fond  of  music ;  I  can  paint  and  draw 
quite  well,  I  am  told,  for  one  of  my  age,  and  papa  wished  me 
to  keep  on  with  these  accomplishments,  so  far  as  I  was  able  to 
and  attend  faithfully  to  the  other  branches  of  my  education.  I 
tell  you  this  that  you  may  understand  something  of  the  dis 
appointment  I  have  experienced,  since  my  arrival  in  this 
country,  to  find  that  I  was  expected  to  fill  the  place  of  a  com 
mon  servant.  Do  you  think  my  father  intended  you  to  make 
me  such?" 

Mrs.  Richards  regarded  the  girl  in  astonishment,  while  her 
fece  grew  crimson  with  shame  and  anger.  She  knew  very  well 
that  Albert  Gladstone  had  never  dreamed  that  she  would  de 
grade  his  child  in  any  such  way.  But  Albert  Gladstone  was 
dead,  and  could  not  interpose  to  prevent  it  She  was  obliged 
to  curtail  just  now  in  some  way,  and  when  she  found  she  must 
have  this  girl  in  her  family,  she  had  decided  to  dispense  with 
the  expense  of  one  servant  and  impose  the  duties  on  Star. 

But  she  had  not  once  imagined  that  she  would  dare  question 
her  right  to  do  with  her  whatever  she  saw  fit,  and  she  was 
amazed  as  well  as  angry  at  the  quiet  dignity  and  independence 
with  which  she  made  these  statements,  and  called  her  to  an 
account  of  her  duty  to  her. 


STELLA'S    APPEAL.  6 1 

"I  don't  know  what  your  father  intended,  or  what  you  expect" 
she  returned,  in  cold,  precise  tones.  "I  know  that  he  wrote 
me  you  would  soon  be  an  orphan ;  that  you  had  hardly  a  friend 
in  the  world,  and  he  would  leave  you  almost  a  pauper.  He 
asked  me  to  superintend  your  education,  so  that  you  would  be 
able  to  earn  your  own  living  by  and  by.  I  intend  to  do  so ; 
and  as  you  have  nothing  save  your  own  hands  to  depend  upon 
in  the  future,  I  am  going  to  begin  by  making  you  useful  at 
once.  Did  you  suppose  you  were  going  to  drop  into  the  lap 
of  luxury,  and  be  reared  in  idleness?"  she  concluded,  with 
biting  sarcasm. 

"No,  marm,"  Star  returned,  respectfully,  yet  not  one  whit 
abashed  by  the  way  Mrs.  Richards  had  perverted  the  letter 
which  her  father  had  written.  "I  am  willing  to  be  useful — I 
wish  to  be  useful — I  should  be  unhappy  to  be  idle ;  but  I  am 
very  unwilling  to  be  made  a  common  drudge,  with  no  time 
nor  opportunity  to  pursue  my  education.  You  say  I  have 
nothing  save  my  hands  with  which  to  earn  my  living.  You  are 
mistaken ;  I  have  brains,  and  I  intend  they  shall  serve  that 
purpose. " 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  you  are  making  a  saucy  tongue  serve 
its  purpose  pretty  early  in  the  day, "  retorted  Mrs.  Richards,  an 
angry  red  leaping  into  her  face. 

"I  do  not  mean  the  least  disrespect  in  what  I  have  said, 
Mrs.  Richards ;  but  I  cannot  give  up  all  the  hopes  and  aspira 
tions  which  my  father  has  fostered  all  my  life  without  making 
an  effort  to  accomplish  them.  I  am  frank  to  confess,"  Star 
continued,  coloring,  while  her  lips  quivered  slightly,  "that 
from  your  reply  to  my  father's  letter,  I  inferred  that  I  should 
be  received  into  your  family  as  an  equal,  and  that  you  would 
give  me  a  mother's  care  and  counsel  during  the  next  three  or 
four  years  of  my  life.  Papa,  I  know,  also  understood  it  so, 
and  died  content,  feeling  that  I  should  be  well  and  kindly  pro 
vided  for. " 


54  STELLA'S    APPEAL. 

Mrs.  Richards  felt  very  uncomfortable,  for  she  knew  that 
every  word  Star  uttered  was  truth.  She  knew,  too,  that  she  was 
doing  a  mean  and  cowardly  thing  in  making  the  bright  and 
talented  girl  a  servant ;  but  she  must  have  a  house-maid.  If  she 
must  curtail,  she  must  do  it  in  this  way  rather  than  in  her  own 
or  Josephine's  wardrobe. 

"You  are  very  impertinent,  miss,  and  have  been  reared  with 
altogether  too  high  notions  for  one  in  your  position,"  she  said, 
angrily.  "You  ought  to  be  thankful  for  a  roof  to  cover  your 
head,  and  anything  to  cover  your  nakedness,  coming  here,  as 
you  did,  destitute  of  everything.  An  equal  in  my  family,  in 
deed  !  Music,  painting,  and  drawing !  What  will  Josephine 
say  to  that,  I  wonder?  And  who  did  you  suppose  was  going 
to  foot  the  bills?  It  won't  do  you  any  harm  to  have  some  of 
this  independence  taken  out  of  you,  and  I'll  have  you  under 
stand,  once  for  all,  that  you  will  fill  Maggie  Flynn's  position  in 
this  house,  or  none." 

Star  bowed  her  proud  head  coldly.  She  saw  that  she  was 
helpless  for  the  present,  and  must  yield  to  the  inevitable. 

"  Very  well, "  she  said,  calmly.  "I  understand  from  Mrs. 
Blunt  that  Maggie  Flynn  was  about  my  age ;  that  she  had  six 
dollars  a  month  besides  her  board,  and  two  evenings  out  a. 
week.  I  will  consent  to  fill  her  place,  for  the  present,  upon  the 
same  conditions." 

"Upon  my  word  !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Richards,  in  a  towering 
passion  at  this  unexpected  proposition.  "I  never  heard  any 
thing  like  it  in  my  life !  You  forget  that  you  are  indebted  to 
me  for  the  very  clothes  you  have  on  at  this  moment.' 

Star  could  hardly  repress  a  smile  at  this  calculating  out 
break. 

"You  have  given  me  the  print  for  two  dresses,"  she  an 
swered,  with  ready  tact,  "the  cost  of  which,  with  us  in  Eng 
land,  would  be  four  pence  a  yard.  I  have  nearly  made  them 
mys«lf,  but  you  can  deduct  whatever  you  see  fit,  and  1  wfll 


S7£LLA'S     APPEAL.  63 

attend  to  my  own  wardrobe  in  the  future,  If  I  do  Maggie 
Flynn's  work,  I  must  have  Maggie  Flynn's  pay  and  privileges," 
she  concluded,  decidedly. 

"You  will  have  nothing  of  the  kind" — Mrs.  Richards  was 
fairly  hoarse  with  anger.  ' '  You  forget  that  your  father  has 
consigned  you  to  my  guardianship  for  the  next  few  years,  and 
you  will  do  exactly  as  I  direct  you.  But  we  have  wasted  time 
enough  in  this  kind  of  talk.  You  are  to  come  with  me  now  ; 
I  will  set  you  to  work,  and  see  if  we  cannot  take  down  some 
of  this  English  impudence." 

Star  followed  the  woman  as  she  was  bidden,  without  a  word, 
thinking  it  best  to  discuss  the  question  no  further  just  then ; 
but  there  was,  nevertheless,  a  determined  gleam  in  her  glorious 
eyes ;  her  form  was  as  erect  and  proud,  her  step  as  firm  as  if 
she  felt  herself  in  every  respect  the  equal  of  the  woman  who 
appeared  bound  to  oppress  her. 

All  day  long  she  was  kept  steadily  at  work ;  not  a  moment 
was  she  allowed  to  rest,  except  while  she  was  eating.  She  made 
beds,  swept  and  dusted  rooms,  and  ran  upon  errands,  until 
every  bone  in  her  slight  body  ached  with  weariness  and  her 
small  feet  were  nearly  blistered. 

Her  delicate  hands  had  never  performed  such  menial  duties 
before,  nor  had  her  gentle  heart  ever  throbbed  with  such 
revengeful,  rebellious  feelings. 

It  was  eight  o'clock  before  her  hard  mistress  released  her 
from  her  labors,  and  told  her  to  go  directly  to  bed,  so  as  to  be 
up  early  in  the  morning  and  sweep  off  the  front  steps  before 
people  should  begin  to  pass. 

She  went  to  her  room  as  directed,  but  instead  of  retiring, 
she  took  from  a  drawer  of  her  bureau  one  of  the  packages  of 
papers  which  she  had  rescued  from  her  state-room  on  that 
burning  vessel,  and,  weary  as  she  was,  she  again  descended 
two  flights  of  stairs,  and  approaching  the  library  door,  tapped 
gently  upon  it 


54  STELLAS    APPEAL. 

A  deep,  manly  voice  bade  her  come  in,  and  she  entered  with 
a  firm  and  decided  tread. 

Mr.  Richards  was  sitting  at  his  desk,  engaged  in  answering 
Some  business  letters. 

Star  had  timed  her  visit  to  him,  for  she  had  watched  and 
seen  him  go  into  the  library  after  tea  was  over. 

He  looked  up  as  she  closed  the  door  behind  her,  and  his  face 
relaxed  into  a  kind  smile  as  he  saw  who  it  was. 

The  girl  had  interested  him  in  the  morning  by  her  beauty, 
grace,  and  intelligence,  but  he  had  been  so  busy  during  the  day 
that  he  had  scarcely  thought  of  her  since. 

He  did  inquire  for  her  at  dinner,  but  there  was  company 
present,  and  his  wife  made  some  evasive  reply.  If  the  truth 
could  have  been  known,  she  was  rather  reluctant  to  inform  him 
what  her  intentions  were  regarding  the  young  stranger. 

"Do  I  interrupt  you,  sir?"  Star  asked,  modestly,  but  with 
out  advancing  beyond  the  threshold. 

' '  Not  at  all,  Miss  Star.  Come  here  and  sit  down ;  I  am  just 
through,"  he  answered,  heartily. 

She  went  and  stood  before  him.  She  did  not  wish  to  sit 
down;  she  could  say  what  she  intended  to  tell  him  better 
standing,  she  thought. 

"You  spoke  so  kindly  to  me  this  morning,"  she  began, 
"that  I  have  ventured  to  come  to  you  for  a  little  advice  this 
evening, " 

"Spoke  kindly  to  you!  Why  on  earth  shouldn't  I  speak 
kindly  to  you  ?"  he  asked,  in  surprise. 

Then  noticing  her  pale,  weary  face,  he  continued  : 

"What  under  the  sun  have  you  been  doing  to-day?  You 
look  tired  to  death. " 

Star  tried  to  smile,  but  she  felt  more  like  dropping  her  face 
upon  her  hands  and  sobbing  aloud. 

She  controlled  herself  with  an  effort,  however,  and  cutting 
some  of  her  papers  upon  the  table  beside  him,  said  : 


STELLA'S    APPEAL.  65 

"I  have  brought  you  some  papers  which  papa  gave  me  just 
before — just  before  he  died" — a  sob  would  come  in  spite  of  her 
then.  "One  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  Mrs. 
Richards,"  she  went  on,  "and  there  is  also  her  reply.  Will 
you  kindly  read  them,  and  tell  me  just  what  you  understand 
by  them?" 

"Certainly,  if  you  wish,"  he  replied,  looking  a  trifle  sur 
prised  at  her  request. 

He  motioned  her  again  to  a  seat,  then  opened  the  letters 
and  read  them  both  through 

"I  understand,"  he  said,  when  he  had  finished  them,  "from 
your  father's  letter  that,  believing  he  was  soon  to  die,  he  wished 
to  provide  a  home  for  you.  He  states  that  he  has  no  friends 
or  relatives  in  England  with  whom  he  would  be  willing  to  trust 
you;  that  he  has  next  to  nothing  to  leave  you,  and  begs  my 
wife,  as  the  nearest  of  kin,  to  assume  the  care  of  you  and  your 
education  until  you  are  able  to  do  something  for  yourself,  trust 
ing  to  Providence  to  reward  her  for  he/  kindness  to  the  orphan. 
He  mentions  that  he  feels  assured  she  will  do  this,  since  she 
once  entertained  such  tender  feelings  for  his  wife  for  the  signal 
service  which  she  once  rendered  her." 

' '  Do  you  know  what  that  service  was  ?"  Star  asked,  in  a  low 
tone, 

"No;  I  asked  Ellen  when  I  read  the  letter  which  she  re 
ceived,  but  she  seemed  to  have  forgotten  to  what  he  referred. 
Perhaps  you  know,  though  ?"  Mr.  Richards  concluded,  in 
quiringly. 

Star  colored  vividly. 

"Yes,  sir,"  she  returned,  with  compressed  lips. 

"Well,  what  was  it?     I  should  like  to  know." 

"My  mother  was  a  Miss  Chudleigh  before  her  marriage,  as 
you  doubtless  know,  and  she  lived  near  Halowell  Park,  in 
Devonshire,  where  Mrs.  Richards  was  once  visiting,  and  it  was 
during  that  visit  that  she  saved  her  from  drowning." 


66  STELLA* S    APPEAL. 

"Whew!  Your  mother  saved  my  wife  from  drowning,  eh?" 
cried  Mr.  Richards,  in  astonishment,  and  coloring  as  he  remem 
bered  his  wife's  indifference  upon  the  topic  when  he  had  ques 
tioned  her  about  it. 

"Yes,  sir.  Now  will  you  please  read  Mrs.  Richards'  reply 
to  my  father's  letter,  and  tell  me  how  you  interpret  it?' 

Star  did  not  care  to  dwell  upon  the  subject  of  her  obligation, 
since  Mrs.  Richards  had  seen  fit  to  pass  it  by  so  lightly. 

"  I  interpret  it  just  as  it  reads,"  he  said,  after  glancing  over 
it;  "that  she  would  be  very  happy  to  grant  your  father's  re 
quest,  do  her  utmost  to  make  a  good  and  useful  woman  of 
you,  and  follow  out  his  wishes  regarding  your  future  education 
as  nearly  as  she  could. " 

"Yes,  sir,  that  is  the  way  papa  understood  it;  that  is  the 
way  I  understand  it,"  Star  said,  rising  and  standing  erect  before 
him  with  a  gravity  that  made  him  wonder  what  was  coming 
next. 

"My  father, "  she  continued,  "as  you  know,  was  a  clergv- 
man  with  a  very  limited  income,  and  he  conducted  my  educa 
tion  himself  until  he  became  too  weak  to  do  so,  therefore  I  am 
pretty  well  advanced  for  one  of  my  years.  I  have  read  seven 
books  in  Virgil,  have  read  two  years  in  French,  and  am  nearly 
through  trigonometry,  and  have  read  a  good  deal  in  history.  I 
was  studying  harmony  in  music  when  papa  died,  besides  doing 
a  little  in  painting  and  drawing.  I  do  not  tell  you  this,"  Star 
interposed,  with  a  sad  smile,  "to  boast  of  what  I  have  done, 
but  that  you  may  understand  what  my  feelings  are  when  I  tell 
you  why  I  came  here  to-nighi.  Papa  wished  me  to  keep  on 
with  my  Latin,  reading  Horace  and  Tacitus,  with  French, 
music,  and  history — in  fact,  he  left  a  written  programme  for  me 
to  follow  out  as  nearly  as  I  was  able.  I  am  ambitious  myself — 
I  am  hungry  for  knowledge.  I  want  a  thorough  education,  and 
as  I  must  in  the  future  earn  my  own  living,  I  know  of  no  way 
so  congenial  to  my  feelings  as  through  literary  pursuits.  Per- 


STELLA'S    APPEAL.  67 

haps  I  made  a  mistake  in  appealing  to  you  just  now,  but  I 
could  think  of  no  other  way  out  of  my  difficulties,  for  of 
course  I  am  wholly  ignorant  of  the  manners  and  customs  of 
this  country.  I  mentioned  these  things  to  Mrs.  Richards  this 
morning " 

And  now  Star's  voice  trembled,  and  the  beating  of  her  heart 
nearly  choked  her,  for  she  did  not  know  how  this  man  would 
receive  her  appeal  to  him  against  his  own  wife. 

"Well,  and  what  did  she  say?"  he  asked,  feeling  somewhat 
perplexed  over  the  matter. 

"She  told  me  that  I  could  not  go  on  with  my  education  as 
papa  wished ;  that — I  was  to  take  the  place  of  a  girl  named 
Maggie  Flynn  in  your  family. " 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  gentleman,  in  tones  of  the  most 
emphatic  astonishment. 

"Maggie  Flynn,  I  understand,"  Star  went  on,  gathering 
courage  as  she  noted  his  surprise,  "  was  a  sort  of  chamber  and 
waiting-maid,  and  Mrs.  Richards  says  that  I  am  henceforth  to 
to  perform  her  duties.  I  cannot  tell  you,"  she  continued, 
earnestly,  "how  repulsive  such  a  life  would  be  to  me — to  give 
up  all  my  hopes,  to  forget,  in  the  ceaseless  routine  of  such  an 
existence,  all  that  I  have  already  acquired ;  and  I  have  come  to 
appeal  to  you — to  ask  you  if  you  will  not  try  and  persuade 
your  wife  to  allow  me  to  continue  my  studies?  I  am  willing  to 
work,  and  work  hard,  but  I  must  have  some  time  to  improve 
and  develop  my  mind.  There  are  plenty  of  girls  who  can  be 
employed  in  my  place" — Star  did  not  know  of  the  curtailing 
business — "and  who  do  not  care  for  an  education.  Papa 
authorized  a  friend  of  his  to  dispose  of  his  library  and  our 
household  goods,  and  give  the  proceeds  to  me,  after  paying  all 
bills.  I  have  a  letter  of  credit  to  the  amount  of  a  hundred 
pounds.  I  do  not  know  the  expense  of  schooling  in  this 
country,  but  could  I  not  be  sent  to  some  institution  for  a  year 
or  two,  and  take  *his  money  to  pay  for  it?  I  should  be  fitted 


58  A    CONSULTATION. 

by  the  end  of  that  time,  I  think,  to  teach,  and  could  relieve 
Mrs.  Richards  of  all  responsibility  regarding  my  support." 

Mr.  Richards'  face  was  very  stern  when  the  young  girl  con 
cluded,  and  Star,  looking  into  it,  felt  almost  frightened  at  what 
she  had  done. 

But  she  reasoned  that  her  situation  could  not  be  much  worse 
than  it  already  was,  and  it  demanded  desperate  measures. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A     CONSULTATION. 

"What  have  you  been  doing  to-day?"  Mr.  Richards  asked, 
in  cold,  stern  tones,  after  what  seemed  an  interminable  pause. 

Stella  began  to  feel  almost  faint.  That  hard  face,  in  which 
displeasure  was  the  chief  expression,  did  not  look  very  prom 
ising  for  her  cause ;  but  she  replied  : 

"I  have  done  all  the  chamber-work,  swept  and  dusted  five 
rooms,  and  waited  upon  Mrs.  Richards." 

"You  are  not  accustomed  to  such  work,"  he  said,  glancing 
at  her  delicate  hands. 

"Not  to  any  such  extent,  sir.  Mamma  used  co  require  me 
to  take  care  of  the  music-room,  besides  my  own,  at  home,  for 
we  could  keep  only  one  servant,  and  I  know  how  to  sweep,  and 
dust,  and  make  beds,''  Star  concluded,  with  a  slight  smile. 

"I  should  say  that  you  know  a  good  many  things  for  so 
young  a  lady,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  kindly,  for  he  saw  that  she 
was  nervous  over  what  she  had  been  telling  him.  Then  he 
added,  more  gravely  :  ."  I  will  consult  with  Mrs.  Richards,  and 


A  CONSULTATION.  69 

I  think  that  we  can  arrange  for  you  to  pursue  your  edu 
cation  as  you  desire." 

Star  flushed. 

She  knew  well  enough  that  a  mere  consultation  with 
Mrs..  Richards  would  not  secure  much  for  her,  and  that  she 
would  be  very  angry  with  her  for  having  appealed  to  her 
husband,  and  she  made  up  her  mind  on  the  spot  to  make 
a  bold  stroke  for  her  freedom. 

So  meeting  his  eyes  in  a  frank,  fearless  way,  yet  speak 
ing  with  the  utmost  respect,  she  said : 

"I  feel  confident  from  the  conversation  which  I  had  with 
Mrs.  Richards  this  morning,  that  she  will  be  very  un 
willing  to  make  any  change  in  her  arrangements,  so  I  will 
be  perfectly  frank  and  say  to  you,  that  much  as  I  should 
dislike  to  take  any  radical  steps  in  opposition  to  her,  or 
my  father's  desire  that  I  should  remain  with  her,  yet  I 
cannot  consent  to  remain  here  as  a  common  servant,  with 
no  privileges  or  time  to  myself.  I  presume  Mrs.  Richards 
will  say  that,  as  she  has  been  appointed  my  guardian,  I 
shall  have  to  do  just  as  she  desires.  But  I  have  read 
somewhere  that  when  an  orphan  in  this  country  reaches 
a  certain  age,  he  has  the  privilege  of  choosing  a  guardian 
for  himself.  Rather  than  be  subjected  to  the  fate  of  be 
coming  a  second  Maggie  Flynn,"  Star  continued,  her 
voice  gathering  firmness,  "I  shall  exercise  that  privilege. 
Thank  you  for  listening  so  kindly  to  my  troubles,  and  I 
trust  I  have  not  wearied  you.  Good-night." 

Without  waiting  for  him  to  reply,  she  inclined  her  head 
in  a  graceful  bow,  and  quietly  glided  from  the  room. 

"By  George!"  exploded  Mr.  Richards,  staring  blankly 
after  her  retreating  form,  "that  is  what  I  call  spirit.  Make 
a  common  servant  of  such  a  girl  as  that,  indeed !  My  lady 
and  I  will  talk  this  matter  over,  and  see — what  we  shall 
see." 

Half  an  hour  later  he  sought  an  interview  with  his  wife, 
and  there  followed  "a  consultation"  in  earnest. 


7o  *    CONSULTATION. 

Mrs.  Richards  was  dumfounded  upon  being  informed  of  the 
decided  stand  which  her  spirited  little  ward  had  taken,  and  her 
indignation  in  consequence  knew  no  bounds. 

"The  impudent  little  beggar!"  she  ejaculated,  crimson  with 
rage.  "  Does  she  expect  to  rule  me,  or  balk  me  like  this?  She 
will  find  herself  greatly  mistaken.  I  will  give  her  a  dose  in  the 
morning — 'such  a  dose,' as  Mr.  Flintwinch  was  wont  to  remark 
to  his  beloved  Affery." 

"Ellen,  you  will  do  no  such  thing,"  her  husband  returned, 
firmly.  "Have  you  forgotten  Mr.  Gladstone's  letter  to  you  and 
your  reply  to  him  ?  When  you  wrote  accepting  the  guardian 
ship  of  his  daughter,  you  did  so  in  a  way  to  lead  him  to  believe 
that  you  would  do  your  best  for  her. " 

"And  so  I  am  doing  m/  best  for  her,"  interrupted  his  wife. 
"You  have  talked  of  nothing  but  retrenchment  for  the  last  six 
months,  and  I  have  fried  to  retrench.  I  knew  the'coming  of 
this  girl  would  make  an  extra  mouth  to  feed,  so  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  make  her  useful,  and  save  something  if  I  could. " 

"Well,  the  child  says  she  is  willing  to  be  useful,  but  you  are 
not  fulfilling  your  agreement  by  making  a  drudge  of  her.  Mr. 
Gladstone  understood  that  you  would  give  careful  attention  to 
her  education,  which  he  evidently  has  conducted  upon  the  most 
thorough  principles,  and  he  expected  that  you  would  fill  as  far 
as  possible  his  place  toward  her." 

"  How  do  you  know  what  I  wrote  to  him  ?  You  did  not  see 
my  letter,"  demanded  Mrs.  Richards,  angrily. 

"I  have  seen  it  to-night.  The  girl  has  it,  and  showed  it  to 
me;  and  now  I  want  you  to  live  up  to  your  promises,"  replied 
her  husband,  gravely. 

"She  ought  to  be  thankful  that  she  has  a  roof  to  sheltei 
her.  Do  you  suppose  I  am  going  to  allow  her  to  interfere  with 
Josephine's  rights?" 

"Certainly  not;  but  this  girl  is  exceedingly  bright  and 
pretty ;  let  them  become  mates  and  share  alike,  and  I'll  wagef 


A    CONSULTATION.  71 

that  Star  will  never  abuse  your  indulgence,''  Mr.  Richards  said, 
generously. 

"And  who  may  'Star'  be?"  demanded  his  wife,  scornfully. 

"Why,  Stella,  of  course — Star  was  the  name,  I  suppose,  by 
which  she  was  known  at  home.  Now,  I  insist,"  he  continued, 
with  decision,  "that  this  child  be  given  a  fair  chance." 

"  How  about  retrenchment  if  you  have  two  fine  young  ladies 
to  support  instead  of  one?"  sneered  Mrs.  Richards. 

"Oh,  bother!  we'll  make  it  up  in  some  other  way.  I'll 
sell  one  of  my  horses ;  you  can  give  up  a  new  gown  once  in 
awhile." 

"Not  if  I  know  myself,  Mr.  Richards.  I  do  not  intend  that 
this  girl  shall  interfere  with  my  comfort  in  the  least  degree," 
interrupted  the  lady,  with  a  frown. 

"Well,  we  will  manage  in  some  way;  but, "he  added,  be 
ginning  to  get  out  of  patience  with  her  selfishness  and  heartless- 
ness,  "  I  swear,  if  you  won't  promise  to  treat  her  considerately, 
and  she  repudiates  you  as  her  guardian,  I  will  get  her  to  choose 
me  in  your  place,  and  I'll  treat  her  like  a  young  princess — send 
her  to  Vassar,  or  any  other  first-class  school  she  may  choose, 
regardless  of  the  cost. " 

"George  Richards,"  cried  his  wife,  with  flashing  eyes,  "if 
you  take  up  weapons  against  me  in  this  way,  I  never  will  for 
give  you." 

"  Can't  help  it,"  he  retorted,  coolly.  "  I'll  not  have  that  girl 
made  a  common  drudge  of  in  this  house  while  I  am  master 
here.  How  you  could  meditate  such  a  thing  for  a  moment  is 
more  than  I  can  understand.  Where  is  the  gratitude  for  the 
life  which  her  mother  saved  for  you  so  many  years  ago?" 

Mrs.  Richards  started  slightly.  She  had  not  intended  that 
her  husband  should  ever  know  of  the  debt  which  she  owed 
Star's  mother. 

"I  suppose  she  had  to  twit  you  of  that  in  order  to  gain  her 
point  and  make  vou  her  champion,"  she  said,  sarcastically. 


72  A  CONSULTATION. 

"No,  indeed.  I  asked  her  what  her  father  meant  by  his 
allusion  to  the  service  rendered  you,  and  to  which  he  re 
ferred  in  his  letter,  and  she  told  me  of  course,  though  in  a 
very  modest  way,  that  her  mother  once  saved  you  from 
drowning.  Now,  I  want  you  to  change  your  tactics.  I 
want  you  to  allow  her  to  be  one  of  the  family." 

"I  never  will  do  that,  Mr.  Richards,  and  it  is  useless  for 
you  to  suggest  it,"  Mrs.  Richards  interrupted,  hotly.  "I 
could  never  endure  the  sight  of  the  girl  at  my  table  after 
this,  and  Josephine,  I  know,  would  not  consent  to  it.  Any 
one  can  see  by  the  course  she  has  pursued  to-night  with 
you  that  she  is  full  of  art  and  intrigue,  and  would  not 
hesitate  to  interfere  with  Josie's  plans  and  prospects." 

"Oh,  ho !  you're  afraid  she  will  outshine  Jo,  are  you  ?" 
laughed  her  husband,  good-naturedly.  "I  should  think 
one  would  set  the  other  off,  Star  being  so  light  and  Jo  so 
dark,  and  I  should  really  enjoy  seeing  two  pretty  girls 
flitting  about  the  house." 

"I  will  never  put  Stella  Gladstone  on  an  equal  footing 
with  my  daughter,  so  you  can  cease  arguing  upon  that 
point,"  reiterated  Mrs.  Richards,  with  a  positiveness  that 
was  not  to  be  mistaken. 

"If  you  insist,"  she  continued,  after  a  minute's  thought, 
"upon  her  being  allowed  to  pursue  her  education,  since 
she  makes  such  a  parade  of  being  a  bookworm,  let  her ;  I 
will  not  interfere.  But  /  insist,  on  the  other  hand,  that  she 
make  herself  useful.  She  must  work  about  the  house  be 
fore  and  after  school,  and  do  something  in  return  for  her 
support — more  than  this  I  will  not  concede;"  and  Mr. 
Richards,  having  gained  this  point,  considered  that  he  had 
won  quite  a  victory  for  his  wife's  pretty  ward. 

"Very  well,"  he  said;  "I  presume  she  will  be  satisfied 
with  this  arrangement.  She  said  she  was  willing  to  work 
if  she  might  only  be  allowed  to  study." 


A    CONSULTATION.  73 

"Satisfied  or  not,  it  is  all  the  concession  that  I  shall  make; 
and  mark  my  words,  George,  I  shall  not  love  her  any  better  foi 
this  interference  on  your  part, "  his  wife  said,  hotly. 

"Fie,  Ellen!  I  thought  you  had  a  warmer  heart;  and  it 
would  not  sound  well  outside  if  it  should  become  known  that 
you  were  making  a  servant  of  a  relative.  It  would  make  quite 
a  stir,  let  me  tell  you,  if  she  should  appeal  to  the  courts  to 
have  a  new  guardian  appointed,"  Mr.  Richards  returned,  in  a 
conciliatory  tone. 

Thus  the  matter  was  settled,  to  Star's  great  joy.  Mr.  Richards 
made  arrangements  at  once  for  her  to  enter  a  select  school  for 
young  ladies,  which  was  located  quite  near  their  residence, 
and  she  began  her  attendance  there  the  following  Monday, 
having  passed  a  most  "creditable  examination, "  the  principal 
informed  her. 

When  she  was  advised  of  this  pleasant  change  in  her  life, 
she  thanked  Mrs.  Richards  in  a  few  well-chosen  words  for  con 
senting  to  it;  but  the  irate  woman  shut  her  up  instantly  by 
saying : 

"You  owe  me  nothing,  and  I  wish  the  subject  never  men 
tioned  again  in  my  presence.  You  will  assist  about  the  cham 
ber-work  in  the  morning  before  it  is  time  for  you  to  go  to 
school,  and  help  Mrs.  Blunt  with  the  mending  on  your  return 
in  the  afternoon.  Miss  Baker  will  attend*  to  the  provision  of 
suitable  clothing  for  you,  and  you  will  work  with  her  Saturdays. 
Now  we  will  consider  this  matter  disposed  of  until  such  time  as 
you  may  deem  your  education  finished ;"  and  with  this  heart 
less  speech,  Star  was  summarily  dismissed  from  the  august 
matron's  presence. 

She  was  greatly  rejoiced  with  even  this  ungracious  permission 
to  pursue  her  studies,  and  the  hours  spent  in  the  school-room 
were  a  source  of  great  delight  to  her ;  but  her  position  at  home 
was  anything  but  agreeable. 

Mr.  Richards  treated  her  kindly  whenever  he  chanced  to 


74  *    CONSULTATION. 

meet  her,  but  his  wife  and  daughter  ignored  her  presence  when 
they  could  do  so;  when  they  could  not,  they  took  pains  to 
make  her  feel  her  obligations  and  dependence  in  the  most  un 
comfortable  manner. 

With  Mrs.  Blunt  she  was  comparatively  happy,  for  the  woman, 
though  brusque  and  peculiar,  was  very  kind-hearted,  seeming 
to  have  conceived  a  great  liking  for  the  lonely  orphan ;  and 
often  she  would  sit  up  late  at  night  to  get  the  piles  of  mending 
out  of  the  way,  in  order  that  Star — who  was  studying  very  hard 
to  make  up  for  having  entered  school  in  the  middle  of  a  term — 
might  have  more  time  to  herself. 

Miss  Baker,  the  seamstress,  too,  was  very  kind  to  her,  and 
her  Saturdays  were  often  passed  very  pleasantly  in  sewing  and 
chatting  in  the  cozy  sewing-room. 

She  left  home  at  a  quarter  to  nine  in  the  morning,  and  did 
not  return  until  half-past  four  in  the  afternoon,  taking  a  lun 
cheon  and  spending  the  nooning  in  the  school-room. 

This  was  not  done  on  account  of  the  distance,  but  because 
the  dinner  hour  at  the  Richards'  mansion  conflicted  with  the 
school  hours. 

By  staying  at  noon  thus  Star  gained  an  hour's  practice  on 
one  of  the  pianos,  with  no  one  to  interrupt  her,  and  this  was  a 
season  of  unalloyed  delight  to  her.  Nothing  had  been  said  to 
her  about  continuing  her  music—  Mrs.  Richards  had  vetoed  all 
accomplishments  on  account  of  the  extra  expense — but  she 
could  not  give  it  up,  so  pursued  a  course  of  faithful  practice 
by  herself. 

Not  a  moment  was  wasted.  She  arose  with  the  dawn,  and 
every  morning  for  an  hour  she  might  have  been  seen  bending 
over  her  small  table,  busily  engaged  in  writing  or  study. 

All  her  duties  were  faithfully  performed;  beds  had  never 
been  so  well  made  before,  rooms  were  never  so  carefully  swept 
and  dusted,  or  so  tastefully  arranged ;  and  yet  one  would 


A     CONSULTATION.  75 

scarcely  have  mistrusted  her  presence  in  the  house,  everything 
"ras  done  so  quietly  and  unobtrusively. 

This  general  exercise,  together  with  her  brisk  walk  before 
and  after  her  school,  was  very  beneficial  to  her  health.  She 
grew  tall,  and  round,  and  rosy,  and  in  beauty  every  day. 

Saturdays  Miss  Baker's  weary  face  would  brighten  as  Star  sat 
and  chatted  in  a  merry,  entertaining  way,  whiling  away  the  long 
hours,  her  busy  fingers  often  lightening  her  labors  when  there 
was  no  sewing  to  be  done  for  herself,  until  she  began  to  love 
the  sweet  young  girl  with  a  deep,  warm  affection,  and  to  look 
forward  to  those  weekly  diversions  almost  as  if  they  had  been 
angels'  visits. 

Star  was  very  tasteful  also,  and  often  suggested  changes  in 
trimming  and  the  arrangement  of  drapery,  thus  making  great 
improvements  in  her  work,  while,  in  spite  of  Mrs.  Richards' 
commands  that  "everything  for  Miss  Gladstone  be  as  plain  as 
respectability  would  allow,"  she  took  pains  to  fit  the  young  girl's 
figure  with  great  nicety,  and  added  many  graceful  touches  to 
her  otherwise  simple  dresses. 

All  winter  long  Star  pursued  this  busy  life,  improving  every 
moment  to  the  best  advantage,  making  every  hour  count;  and 
one  morning,  getting  through  her  work  earlier  than  usual,  she 
might  have  been  seen  stealing  forth  from  that  elegant  mansion 
a  half  hour  before  the  regular  time,  her  cheeks  flushed  with 
some  inward  excitement,  her  eyes  gleaming,  yet  somewhat 
anxious,  and  carrying  in  her  hands  a  goodly  sized  package 
neatly  wrapped  in  brown  paper. 

She  took  an  opposite  direction  from  the  usual  route  to 
school,  and  walked  hurriedly  toward  the  business  portion  of 
the  city. 

At  the  end  of  twenty  minutes  she  stopped  before  the  door  of 
a  large  and  handsome  store,  where  for  a  moment  she  seemed  to 
hesitate  as  if,  uncertain  what  to  d,o  next. 


76  RETRENCHMENT. 

At  last,  with  fluctuating  color  and  trembling  hand,  she  turned 
the  handle  and  entered. 

A  little  while  passed,  and  then  she  came  forth  again,  while 
now  she  appeared  pale»and  agitated. 

As  the  door  closed  after  her,  she  stood  still  for  a  moment 
upon  the  sidewalk,  seeming  lost  in  troubled  thought ;  then  a 
tremulous  sigh,  which  was  almost  a  sob,  broke  from  her  lips, 
and  she  turned  and  walked  toward  her  school. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

RETRENCHMENT. 

Winter  passed,  spring  came  and  went,  and  the  commence 
ment  exercises  of  the  seminary  where  Star  was  attending  drew 
nigh. 

The  faculty,  as  was  their  custom,  sent  forth  cards  of  invita 
tion  to  its  patrons,  requesting  them  to  be  present  and  see  for 
themselves  what  their  children  had  accomplished  during  the 
year. 

It  chanced  this  time  to  fall  upon  Star's  birthday,  although 
no  one  was  aware  of  that  fact  save  herself;  but  to  her  it  was 
destined  to  prove  an  eventful  occasion,  and  one  long  to  be 
remembered. 

Mr.  Richards  received  and  opened  his  invitation  with  his 
other  letters  on  that  very  morning,  and  after  glancing  over  it, 
passed  it  to  his  wife. 

She  merely  looked  at  it,  yawned,  and  then  laid  it  indiffer 
ently  one  side. 

Mr.  Richards  compressed  his  lips  at  this.  It  did  not  please 
him  that  all  the  young  girl's  interests  should  be  thus  slightingly 


RE  TRENCHMENT. 


77 


ignored ;  but  he  said  nothing,  although  his  thoughts  were  busy 
during  the  remainder  of  the  meal,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  com 
pleted  he  repaired  to  his  library  and  rang  his  bell. 

"Send  Miss  Gladstone  to  me,"  he  said  to  the  servant  who 
answered  his  summons. 

Star  received  the  command,  wondering  what  it  meant,  and 
went  down,  with  some  trepidation,  to  obey  it 

She  was  almost  like  an  alien  in  that  house,  living  so  apart 
from  the  family,  and  so  rarely  encountering  any  of  them ;  but 
she  possessed  a  sunny,  even  disposition,  and  although  she  often 
grieved  over  the  neglect  she  experienced,  and  yearned  for  love 
and  sympathy,  yet  she  would  not  allow  herself  to  brood  over  it ; 
thus  she  was  always  sweet  and  genial  in  her  temperament. 

As  she  entered  the  library  this  morning,  Mr.  Richards  looked 
up  and  smiled  with  pleasure. 

She  was  so  fresh,  and  bright,  and  lovely  that  it  was  a  delight 
to  look  upon  her. 

' '  I  have  received  a  card  for  the  closing  exercises  of  youi 
school  to-day,"  he  said,  pleasantly.  "I  think  I  should  like  to 
attend,  if  I  can  make  it  convenient.  How  have  you  been  pro 
gressing  ?" 

"Professor  Roberts  has  been  kind  enough  to  say  that  I  have 
done  very  well.  You  know  I  did  rot  enter  until  nearly  the 
middle  of  the  second  term,"  Star  modestly  replied,  while  her 
cheeks  glowed  and  her  eyes  shone  with  pleasure  that  he  should 
manifest  this  interest  in  her  welfare. 

"Do  you  have  any  particular  part  in  the  exercises  to-day?" 
he  questioned. 

"Yes,  sir.  I  have  a  programme  here  in  my  pocket;  per 
haps  you  would  like  to  see  it  ?"  and  she  drew  it  forth,  laying  it 
upon  the  table  before  him. 

He  glanced  over  it,  and,  third  upon  the  list,  he  saw : 

"Music,  instrumental,  by  Miss  Stella  Gladstone." 

Further  down  he  read  : 


78  RETRENCHMENT, 

"Essay,  by  Miss  Stella  Gladstone.  Subject:  'Walls  Must 
Get  the  Weather-stain  Before  They  Grow  the  Ivy.'" 

He  looked  up  at  her  with  some  surprise. 

' '  Did  you  choose  the  subject  of  your  essay  ?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Why  did  you  take  such  a  topic?" 

"  I  do  not  know,  sir,"  Star  answered,  thoughtfully.  "I  read 
the  line  somewhere  one  day ;  it  haunted  me  continually,  until 
I  wrote  out  some  thoughts  upon  it,  as  I  often  do  upon  different 
subjects.  Professor  Roberts  found  them  between  the  leaves  of 
my  Horace  one  day,  and  liked  them  so  well  that  he  asked  me 
to  elaborate  and  extend  them,  and  read  it  as  an  essay  to-day. 
He  always  has  two  or  three  essays  from  members  of  the  junior 
class  read  upon  commencement  day." 

Mr.  Richards  had  been  looking  her  over  critically  while  she 
was  speaking. 

She  was  clad  in  a  gown  of  some  light  gray  material,  made 
very  plainly,  but  fitting  her  graceful  figure  to  perfection.  Simple 
bands  of  linen  were  just  visible  at  her  throat  and  wrists,  while  a 
knot  of  pale  blue  ribbon  fastened  her  collar. 

She  looked  lovely.  She  would  have  been  so  in  anything ; 
but  he  saw  that  her  toilet  was  hardly  befitting  the  ward  of  his 
wife. 

"Girls  for  commencement  always  have  a  new  dress,  don't 
they?"  he  asked.  "Have  you  made  any  arrangements  of  the 
kind?" 

"No,  sir;  I  shall  go  just  as  I  am.  This  is  the  best  that 
I  have,"  she  returned,  glancing  down  at  her  dress  and  flushing 
slightly. 

"  How  much  time  have  you  before  the  exercises  begin?"  he 
inquired. 

"An  hour  or  more,"  she  said,  looking  up  at  the  clock  on 
the  mantel.  "I  am  ready  very  early, "  she  added,  smiling,  "for 
1  wished  to  look,  over  my  essay  before  reading  it " 


RE  TRENCHMENT. 


79 


Mr.  Richards  looked  grave.  He  remembered  how  Josephine 
had  been  all  "fuss  and  feathers"  at  every  commencement,  and 
here  this  lovely  girl  was  going  to  appear  before  a  crowded  hall 
in  a  dress  which  his  daughter  would  not  have  worn  in  her  own 
private  room. 

"If  you  will  step  around  to  Hunt  &  Co.'s  with  me,  you 
shall  have  one  of  those  pretty  summer  silks  that  they  are  adver 
tising  so  extensively.  I  should  be  gratified  to  have  you  as  well 
dressed  as  your  classmates,  and  I  fear  that  your  needs  have  been 
neglected  in  this  respect, "  he  remarked,  with  a  slight  frown. 

Star  flushed  scarlet  now. 

She  had  wished — oh,  so  earnestly ! — that  morning  that  she 
could  have  something  dainty  to  wear,  and  she  had  sighed  regret 
fully  as  she  thought  of  all  her  pretty  clothes  lying  at  the  bottom 
of  the  ocean,  for  they  had  been  prettily  made,  although  they 
were  of  inexpensive  material ;  and  she  had  heard  the  girls  talk 
ing  of  the  new  dresses  which  were  being  made  for  them.  But 
when  her  toilet  was  completed  and  she  looked  in  the  glass,  she 
felt  that,  notwithstanding  the  disadvantage  of  her  apparel,  there 
was  at  least  a  distinguished  air  about  her  which  bespoke  the 
true  lady,  and  she  was  comforted. 

' '  Thank  you, "  she  answered,  quietly,  while  the  color  slowly 
receded  from  her  brew  and  cheeks;  "you  are  very  kind  to 
suggest  it,  but,  if  you  please,  I  prefer  to  go  as  I  am.  I  shall 
be  gratified,"  she  added,  dropping  the  proud  ring  out  of  her 
voice,  "if  you  feel  sufficiently  interested  to  attend  the  exercises 
to-day,  and  I  will  endeavor  to  show  you  that  I  have  tried  tc 
improve  the  advantages  that  you  have  given  me." 

"I  should  be  willing  to  take  your  word  for  it,"  Mr.  Richards 
said,  heartily,  "but  I  will  come  and  see  for  myself." 

Star  looked  pleased  at  this  assurance,  and  then,  giving  him  a 
friendly  little  bow  and  smile,  went  away  with  a  light  heart 

"By  George!  she'll  make  a  woman  to  be  proud  of,  or — or 
'I'm  much  mistaken,'  as  Mrs.  Blunt  would  remark,  She  has 


go  RETRENCHMENT. 

spirit,  too,  and  is  bound  to  stand  on  her  own  merits.  There 
are  not  many  girls  who  would  have  refused  the  offer  of  a  pretty 
new  dress  for  such  an  occasion.  I'll  go  over  to  the  seminary 
and  see  what  she  has  been  doing. " 

When  Mr.  Richards  entered  the  hall  of  the  seminary,  he 
found  it  crowded  to  overflowing  with  spectators,  anxious  friends, 
and  fond  parents. 

He  gradually  worked  his  way  forward  toward  the  platform, 
for  he  was  determined  to  hear  Star's  essay,  if  possible,  and 
finally  took  his  stand  beside  a  piece  of  statuary  and  near  an 
open  window,  where  he  could  have  air  and  yet  command  a 
good  view  of  all  the  exercises. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment  a  slight,  willowy  figure,  clad  in 
light  gray,  with  a  fair,  delicate  face,  deep  blue  eyes,  scarlet  lips, 
and  a  wealth  of  golden  hair,  glided  noiselessly  to  the  piano  on 
the  platform,  sat  down,  and  after  running  her  fingers  nimb'/y 
over  the  keys  for  a  moment  or  two,  dashed  off  into  a  brilliant 
and  difficult  sonata. 

It  was  executed  apparently  without  a  mistake  from  begin 
ning  to  end,  and  without  notes,  and  when  it  was  finished  the 
fair  performer  retired  from  the  instrument  amid  enthusiastic 
applause. 

Mr.  Richards  was  astounded. 

He  had  expected  some  simple  melody,  passably  performed. 
She  had  told  him,  in  her  modest  way,  that  she  had  given  some 
attention  to  music,  but  he  had  not  imagined  that  she  was  as 
proficient  as  this,  and  he  could  not  understand  how  she  had 
kept  up  her  practice,  with  no  instruction,  and  no  permission  to 
use  the  piano  at  home. 

He  did  not  know  of  that  hour  at  noon,  nor  the  odd  minutes, 
when  other  girls  were  chattering  away  at  recess  time,  that  Star 
had  diligently  given  to  this  science  which  she  so  dearly  loved. 

He  was  no  less  astounded  during  the  reading  of  her  essay. 

When  it  was  announced,  she  came   quietly  forward   with 


RETRENCHMENT.  gf 

graceful  self-possession,  and  unfolding  the  roll  of  manuscript 
which  she  carried  in  her  hand,  read  in  sweet,  yet  clear  tones, 
a  production  which  held  her  listeners  spell-bound  from  begin 
ning  to  end. 

She  must  have  woven  something  of  her  own  heart  history 
into  it,  he  thought,  for  two  or  three  times  the  tears  welled  un 
bidden  to  his  eyes  at  the  pathos  which  those  smoothly  rounded 
sentences  contained. 

It  seemed  as  if  Star's  efforts  were  more  highly  appreciated 
than  any  other  portion  of  the  exercises.  Even  the  valedictory, 
from  a  member  of  the  senior  class,  although  well  written  and 
to  the  point,  was  not  listened  to  with  such  breathless  attention. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  programme,  the  diplomas  were 
awarded  to  the  graduating  class,  and  then  the  professor  said  he 
would  read  the  names  of  those  who  had  passed  their  examina 
tion  and  were  to  be  promoted  from  the  other  classes.  There 
were  two  young  ladies,  he  said,  who  were  entitled  to  a  double 
promotion,  having  accomplished  the  work  of  a  year  in  about 
six  months,  which  was,  to  say  the  least,  a  very  unusual  and 
laudable  circumstance. 

The  names  of  those  entitled  to  this  were  Miss  Stella  Glad 
stone  and  Miss  Grace  Turnbull,  and  they  would,  upon  the  bfc 
ginning  of  the  fall  term,  take  their  places  in  the  senior  class. 

As  the  people  flocked  by  him  out  of  the  hall,  Mr.  Richards 
heard  Star's  praises  on  every  side,  and  inwardly  vowed  that  the 
girl  should  have  every  chance  in  the  future. 

He  made  his  way  toward  the  platform,  intending  to  speak 
with  and  congratulate  her  upon  her  success;  but  just  before 
he  reached  her  another  gentleman  approached  her,  and  after 
shaking  hands  in  the  most  cordial  manner  with  her,  gave  her 
a  small  package,  and  bending  down,  whispered  a  few  words  in 
her  ear. 

He  could  not  understand  the  expression  of  mingled  surprise 
and  joy  which  for  a  moment  absolutely  glorified  her  fair  face  as 


82  RETRENCHMENT. 

she  received  the  package ;  then  the  tears  sprang  to  her  eyes,  as, 
with  tremulous  lips,  she  appeared  to  be  thanking  the  giver. 

The  gentleman  chatted  a  few  moments  longer  with  her,  then 
put  out  his  hand  for  the  roll  of  manuscript  which  she  still  held, 
while  he  smilingly  asked  her  for  it. 

Star  hesitated  about  giving  it  to  him,  while  a  lovely  color 
suffused  her  face;  then,  with  a  shy  movement,  she  laid  it  in 
his  palm. 

He  received  it  with  a  brilliant  smile,  bowed  gracefully  to  her, 
and  then  left  her. 

Mr.  Richards  now  approached  her,  and  taking  her  hand, 
said,  almost  affectionately : 

"Star,  you  have  shone  effulgently  to-day,  and  I  am  proud 
of  you. " 

It  would  not  have  been  in  human  nature  to  have  prevented 
the  little  gleam  of  triumph  which  flashed  from  her  eyes  at  this 
tribute  to  her  talents,  but  she  said,  gratefully : 

"  Thank  you,  sir;  but  I  owe  my  success  all  to  you." 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  he  returned,  with  some  emotion;  "you 
owe  it  to  yourself  alone ;  but  I  will  take  care  that  you  do  not 
thank  me  for  nothing  at  the  close  of  another  year. " 

Star  wondered  what  he  meant,  but  she  did  not  question  him, 
and  her  heart  was  lighter  than  it  had  been  before,  since  she 
crossed  the  ocean,  as  he  led  her  from  the  building  and  walked 
home  with  her. 

But  he  noticed  all  the  way  that  there  was  a  nervous  tremor 
about  her,  while  she  was  unusually  absent-minded  and  silent. 

' '  Who  was  that  gentleman  who  came  and  spoke  to  you  at 
the  close  of  the  exercises?"  he  asked,  just  before  they  reached 
home. 

Star  glanced  up  with  a  start. 

"His  name  is  Appleton,"  she  answered,  and  pretended  nol 
to  notice  that  his  eyes  were  resting  curiously  upon  the  package 
which  he  had  given  her. 


When  they  entered  the  house,  Star  ascended  to  her  own 
room,  while  Mr.  Richards  sought  his  wife. 

He  found  her  and  Josephine  together  in  the  drawing-room, 
and,  for  a  wonder,  no  callers  with  them. 

He  informed  them  where  he  had  been,  and  also  of  the  bril 
liant  appearance  which  Star  had  made  before  the  public. 

Both  mother  and  daughter  sneered  audibly  at  his  account, 
and  this  aroused  his  indignation. 

His  eyes  began  to  blaze,  and  his  wife  sobered  instantly ;  she 
always  recognized  and  dreaded  this  dangerous  symptom. 

"You  are  a  couple  of  selfish,  heartless  women,"  he  began; 
"and  now,  let  me  tell  you,  you  have  got  to  turn  over  a  new 
leaf,  or  there  will  be  trouble  in  the  camp.  That  girl,  whom 
you  have  so  despised  and  tried  to  degrade  ever  since  she  came 
into  the  house,  has  wonderful  talent — talent  of  which  any  one 
might  be  proud.  She  is  rightly  named,  for  she  certainly  shone 
like  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  to-day.  Her  essay  was  superior 
to  anything  produced  there,  and  her  performance  upon  the 
piano  something  wonderful  for  one  so  young  and  possessing  so 
few  advantages." 

"Oh,  papa,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  she  can  play  the 
piano!  I'm  sure  she  has  never  touched  this  one  since  she 
came  here,  and  no  one  can  play  well  without  constant  practice," 
asserted  Miss  Josephine,  with  a  toss  of  her  dark  head,  for  she 
was  accounted  a  good  musician. 

"You  don't  believe  what  I  tell  you,  then, "  her  father  said, 
frowning. 

"Well,  I  think  you  must  have  overestimated  her  talent  in 
that  direction,"  the  girl  answered. 

Mr.  Richards  did  not  reply,  but  walked  to  the  bell-rope  and 
gave  it  a  pull. 

"Go  and  say  to  Miss  Gladstone  that  I  would  like  to  see 
her  in  the  drawing-room,"  he  said  to  the  servant  who  opened 
the  door. 


84  RETRENCHMENT. 

"Really,  Mr.  Richards,''  interrupted  his  wife,  with  severe 
dignity;  but  he  stopped  her  short  with  a  motion  of  his  hand. 

"Go!"'  he  repeated  to  the  servant,  who  had  hesitated  as  she 
spoke,  and  then  he  turned  again  to  her. 

"I  want  you  to  understand,"  he  said,  "something  of  the 
wrong  which  you  have  been  doing  this  child,  and  now  I  am 
going  to  ask  her  to  play  to  you.  I  desire  that  you  treat  her 
civilly,  too,  when  she  comes  down.  She  should  have  been 
received  here  as  one  of  us — I  regret  that  I  did  not  insist  upon 
it  in  the  beginning — she  should  have  been  on  an  equal  footing 
v/ith  Josie,  enjoying  the  same  advantages,  and  receiving  sym 
pathy  and  encouragement  instead  of — well,  it's  no  use  fretting 
over  it  now ;  but,  by  Jove  !  I'll  make  it  up  to  her  in  the  future. 
Hark  !  she  is  coming,  and  now  I'll  have  no  sneers  or  soul 
looks,"  he  concluded,  as  the  door  handle  turned. 

Star  entered  at  this  moment,  and  seeing  the  whole  family 
assembled,  looked  somewhat  surprised ;  but  Mr.  Richards  ap 
proached  her,  saying,  quietly : 

"I  have  sent  for  you  to  ask  if  you  will  play  again  for  us 
what  you  played  at  the  hall  to-day?" 

Star  glanced  at  the  two  ladies,  but  their  attitude  was  not 
encouraging. 

Mrs.  Richards  was  the  personification  of  dignified  indiffer 
ence,  while  Miss  Josephine  sat  looking  out  of  a  window,  and 
partially  concealed  by  its  drapery. 

She  saw  that  she  was  wholly  indebted  to  Mr.  Richards  for 
this  opportunity  of  displaying  her  talent,  and  that  they  were 
evidently  somewhat  doubtful  as  to  her  ability  to  do  what  he 
claimed  for  her;  therefore  her  fingers  began  to  tingle  to  do 
their  very  best. 

' '  Certainly ;  I  shall  be  pleased  to  play  for  you  if  you  desire 
it, "she  said,  as  she  walked  quietly  and  unassumingly  to  the 
piano  and  sat  down. 

She  had  not  struck  a  dozen  notes  before  she  had  the  un« 


RETRENCHMENT.  85 

divided  attention  of  every  listener;  and  when  she  had  con 
cluded,  two  of  the  little  company  were  quivering  with  jealous 
anger. 

Josephine  had  the  name  of  being  a  good  musician,  but  both 
she  and  her  mother  could  plainly  perceive  that  she  had  not  a 
tithe  of  the  talent  that  the  fair,  despised  girl,  of  whom  they  had 
tried  to  make  a  common  servant,  possessed. 

"Play  something  else,  please,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  when  she 
had  finished  the  sonata  which  she  had  played  at  school ;  and, 
without  a  word,  her  slender  fingers  went  sweeping  through  one 
of  Mendelssohn's  "Romances  sans  Paroles"  in  the  most  intoxi 
cating  manner  imaginable,  and  her  new  admirer,  with  a  look 
of  pardonable  triumph,  thanked  her  most  warmly  when  she 
concluded. 

She  quietly  left  the  room,  although  she  felt  assured  that  a 
storm  was  ready  to  burst  as  soon  as  she  should  be  beyond  hear 
ing  ;  the  very  atmosphere  was  heavy  with  it. 

She  was  right  ;n  her  conjecture,  for  no  sooner  was  the  door 
closed  behind  her  than  Mrs.  Richards'  tongue  was  loosed,  and 
she  broke  forth  in  a  torrent  of  wrath. 

"Well,  George  Richards,  I  suppose  you  imagine  that  you 
have  done  something  wonderful  in  bringing  that  girl  here  and 
showing  her  off  to  us ;  but  you  will  find  that  you  have  made  a 
mistake.  It  is  very  praiseworthy,  indeed,  to  seek  to  humiliate 
one's  own  daughter,  and  I  should  suppose  you  would  feel  very 
proud  of  such  an  achievement.  Where  is  your  self-respect,  that 
you  bring  a  beggar  in  here  and  set  her  up  as  a  reproach  to  your 
wife?  I  will  not  stand  it,  sir — I  tell  you  I  will  not  stand  it! 
Things  are  come  to  a  pretty  pass,  I  should  say,  if  our  domestic 
peace  is  to  be  destroyed  by  that  insignificant  chit,  and  I  was  a 
fool  ever  to  consent  to  her  coming  here." 

This  and  much  more  of  the  same  kind  the  angry  woman 
poured  forth  in  a  perfect  volley. 


86  RETRENCHMENT. 

Mr.  Richards  listened  with  quiet  gravity  to  the  tirade,  and 
when  she  had  concluded,  he  quietly  remarked  : 

"Well,  Ellen,  now  that  you  are  through,  we'll  say  that  it's 
my  turn.  You  might  just  as  well  make  up  your  mind  to  be 
reasonable  first  as  last,  for  mine  is  settled  upon  one  thing — 
Star  Gladstone  has  done  the  last  days  work  in  this  house  that  she 
ever  will  do/  She  is  to  have  her  time  entirely  to  herself  until 
she  graduates,  a  year  hence.  I  shall  offer  to  allow  her  to  pur 
sue  music,  and  painting  if  she  desires,  during  the  long  vaca 
tion  just  at  hand,  giving  her  the  best  of  masters  which  New 
York  affords,  and  spare  no  reasonable  expense  to  make  her  the 
accomplished  woman  that  I  think  she  is  capable  of  becoming. 
You  promised  all  this  to  her  father;  he  sent  her  to  you  with  the 
belief  that  she  would  enjoy  these  advantages  until  she  war 
fitted  to  become  a  teacher,  and  she  shall  have  them.  Now,  one 
thing  more — and  you  know  that  when  I  get  aroused  to  this 
pitch  I  mean  what  I  say — if  I  find  that  you  or  Jo  are  making 
her  unhappy  at  any  time,  I'll  put  her  into  the  most  genteel 
boarding-house  in  the  city,  out  of  your  reach.  As  for  'domestic 
peace, 'about  which  you  twit  me,  I  believe  I  love  my  family 
better  than  the  average  of  men,  and  am  not  in  the  habit  of 
stirring  up  strife;  so  it  will  rest  with  you  to  keep  the  peace." 

Mr.  Richards  did  not  wait  for  any  rejoinder  to  this  plain 
speaking,  but  left  the  room,  and  finding  Star  out  upon  the  bal 
cony  leading  from  the  dining-room,  he  told  her  that  he  had 
decided  to  let  her  take  up  music  and  painting  during  the  vaca 
tion  if  she  wished. 

He  felt  amply  repaid  for  his  efforts  on  her  behalf  on  seeing 
the  look  of  joy  which  flashed  over  her  face,  while  her  voice 
thrilled  with  earnestness  as  she  replied  : 

"Oh,  sir,  I  ought  to  be  the  happiest  girl  in  Brooklyn  to 
have  so  much  of  good  come  to  me  on  this,  my  seventeenth 
birthday !" 

"Is  this  your  birthday?"  he  asked,  with  a  feeling  of  self- 


RETRENCHMENT.  87 

reproach  that  it  should  have  come  and  nearly  gone  with  no 
token  of  remembrance,  while  he  glanced  over  her  meager  attire 
and  marked  the  absence  of  all  jewelry  or  trinkets  such  as  young 
girls  love,  for  she  wore  nothing  of  the  kind  save  a  dainty  cameo 
head  fastened  to  the  knot  of  ribbon  at  her  throat 

"Yes,  sir;  and  it  is  one  which  I  shall  always  remember  with 
great  pleasure,"  she  said,  with  a  tremulous  smile  that  he  did 
not  then  understand.  ' '  I  thank  you, "  she  added,  ' '  for  allow 
ing  me  to  go  on  with  my  music,  and  I  will  be  very  faithful  in 
improving  my  opportunity ;  but — I  think,  if  you  please,  I  will 
not  mind  about  the  painting  at  present.  I  am  very  fond  of  it, 
but— I " 

"Very  well;  do  as  you  choose,"  he  said,  as  he  saw  she  was 
somewhat  embarrassed.  "You  are  to  have  all  the  advantages 
you  desire  during  the  next  year,  and  you  are  to  do  no  more 
work  of  any  kind  in  this  house " 

"Oh,  but  I  like  to  work  about  the  house,"  she  began, 
eagerly ;  but  he  stopped  her  authoritatively. 

"No;  I  will  not  have  it.  You  need  all  the  time  you  can 
get  for  study  and  practice.  Maggie  Flynn,  or  some  other 
Maggie,  shall  come  back  as  chamber  and  waiting-maid,  and 
you  are  to  remember  it  is  my  command  that  you  do  nothing 
of  the  kind.  If  you  have  any  spare  time,  use  it  in  making  the 
pretty  things  which  young  ladies  of  your  age  like  so  much. 
Here  is  something  to  begin  upon,  and  I  will  allow  you  the 
same  amount  every  month ;"  and  he  tucked  a  bill  of  no  mean 
denomination  into  her  hand  as  he  concluded. 

He  did  not  wait  to  hear  her  thanks,  but  turned  abruptly 
away,  feeling  very  tenderly  toward  this  sweet  young  maiden, 
who  had  lived  such  an  isolated,  neglected  life  in  the  midst  of 
that  household  of  luxury. 

Star  looked  after  him  with  a  glorified  face. 

"Oh,  what  a  birthday!"  she  said,  as  she  went  up  stairs  and 
shut  herself  into  her  room. 


She  folded  that  precious  bill — more  money  than  she  had  ever 
possessed  before  at  one  time — for  "pretty  things,"  and  laid  it 
safely  away  in  a  drawer ;  then  she  took  up  a  handsomely  bound 
book  that  lay  on  her  table. 

"A  red-letter  day !"  she  murmured.  "  My  success — my  pro 
motion — his  kindness,  and,  above  all,  this  beautiful  book — it 
all  seems  to  be  too  lovely  to  be  real. " 

She  raised  the  volume  and  softly  touched  her  lips  to  it; 
then  bowing  her  golden  head,  her  heart  overcharged  with  its 
unaccustomed  weight  of  happiness,  found  relief  in  a  shower 
of  tears. 

"The  book"  was  the  package,  devoid  of  its  wrapper,  which 
the  strange  gentleman  had  given  her  in  the  presence  of  Mr. 
Richards. 


next  morning's  papers  contained  an  interesting  account 

of  the  commencement  exercises  of Seminary,  together 

with  a  copy  in  full  of  Miss  Stella  Gladstone's  essay,  and  speak 
ing  in  very  flattering  terms  of  its  excellence  as  a  literary  pro 
duction. 

Another  important  event  occurred  that  morning. 

One  of  Mr.  Richards'  driving  horses  was  sold,  and  his  wife, 
upon  learning  of  the  circumstance,  lifted  up  her  hands  and 
scornfully  exclaimed : 

"  Retrenchment  1" 


CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE.  £9 


CHAPTER   IX. 
| 

CHANGE    OF    FORTUNE. 

A  few  mornings  after  Star's  emancipation  from  her  duties  as 
a  servant,  she  encountered,  as  she  was  coming  down  stairs  to 
her  breakfast,  Josephine,  Nvho  was  also  on  ho*  way  to  the 
dining-room. 

"Well,  I  suppose  you  feel  mighty  set  up  over  tfie  fine  show 
you  made  of  yourself  the  other  day,"  that  young  lady  remarked, 
sneering  ly. 

"I  had  no  desire  to  make  a  'show,'  as  you  express  it/'^w: 
answered,  courteously,  and  ignoring  her  companion's  rudeness. 
"But  it  is  always  pleasant  to  receive  thanks  when  on*:  has  tried 
to  do  one's  best. " 

"Thanks!"  was  the  scornful  rejoinder.  "You  have  been 
very  sly  about  it  all;  and  I  should  think  you'd  feel  mean 
enough  about  wheedling  papa  into  giving  you  music  and  paint 
ing  lessons." 

' '  I  have  never  asked  Mr.  Richards  for  either,  and — I  am  not 
going  to  take  painting  lessons  at  all,"  Star  said,  with  scarlet 
cheeks. 

' '  You  needn't  try  to  make  me  think  papa  would  ever  have 
made  such  a  row  if  you  hadn't  been  at  him  and  pretended  to 
be  so  abused  and  ill-treated.  But — where  did  you  get  that 
lovely  cameo  that  you  wore  in  that  knot  at  your  throat  ?'"  Jose 
phine  asked,  her  eyes  having  been  sharp  enough  to  detect  the 
pretty  trinket. 

"  It  was  given  to  me  by  a  friend,"  the  young  girl  answered, 
with  trembling  lips,  for  she  was  cut  to  the  heart  by  the  unjust 
accusations  heaped  upon  her. 


go  CHANGE    OF    FORTUNE: 

"Some  one  must  have  liked  to  fool  away  money  pretty  well, 
to  give  you  an  elegant  trifle  like  that,"  the  rude  girl  said,  foi 
she  had  known  that  it  was  valuable  at  a  glance.  "It  doesn't 
correspond  with  the  rest  of  your  wardrobe,"  she  continued, 
jeeringly ;  "you'd  better  give  it  to  me." 

Star  looked  up  into  the  bold,  handsome  face  beside  her  with 
astonishment. 

"  I  cannot  give  it  to  you,"  she  said,  with  compressed  lips. 

"Well,  lend  it  to  me.  then." 

She  was  loaded  with  jewelry,  early  as  it  was  in  the  day.  She 
wore  a  heavy  gold  chain,  from  which  was  suspended  a  blue 
enameled  locket  set  with  pearls  and  diamonds;  heavy  jewels 
hung  in  her  ears,  broad  bands  of  gold  clasped  her  wrists, 
while  her  fingers  gleamed  with  numerous  costly  gems;  and 
here  she  was  coveting  the  single  ornament  which  she  had  seen 
Star  wear. 

"  I  do  not  like  to  appear  disobliging,"  she  returned,  "but 
there  are  reasons  why  I  do  not  even  like  to  lend  it." 

"What  reasons,  pray,  can  you  have  for  refusing  so  simple  a 
request?"  Josephine  persisted. 

' '  I  have  told  you — it  is  the  gift  of  a  friend.  I  do  not  like 
to  part  with  it." 

"I  will  give  you  this  handsome  emerald  for  it,"  said  the 
spoilt  beauty,  turning  a  valuable  ring  upon  her  finger. 

" Thank  you.     No;  I  could  not  make  the  exchange." 

"Nonsense!  You're  stuffy  enough,  I  hope,"  the  refined 
young  lady  retorted ;  and,  with  lowering  brow,  she  turned  im 
patiently  away,  and  went  into  the  dining-room. 

An  hour  later,  while  Star  was  busily  practicing,  she  stole 
slyly  into  her  room  and  pounced  greedily  upon  the  coveted 
little  treasure,  which  was  stuck  into  a  dainty  pincushion  made 
of  bits  of  silk  and  covered  with  an  embroidered  lace  tidy,  all 
the  work  of  the  little  maiden's  skillful  fingers. 


CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE.  qr 

"I  was  bound  to  have  it,"  the  unprincipled  girl  said,  triumph 
antly,  as  she  examined  it  closely. 

"It  is  lovely;  the  most  delicately  carved  cameo  that  I  ever 
saw,  and,  for  a  little  thing,  must  have  cost  no  mean  sum.  Ah ! 
it  is  marked  on  th£  back  of  the  setting,"  she  continued,  turn 
ing  it  over.  "A.  S.  and  two  tiny  strawberry  leaves  underneath. 
I  wonder  who  'A.  S. '  is,  or — was?  What  a  lovely  ring  it  would 
make." 

She  lifted  the  skirt  to  her  basque  and  deliberately  pinned  it 
upon  the  lining,  an  evil  look  in  her  brilliant  eyes. 

"I'll  capture  it  for  awhile,  just  to  torment  her  for  her  pre 
sumption  in  trying  to  outshine  me  before  papa  the  other  day. 
The  little  minx  !  she  is  altogether  too  high-headed  and  airy  to 
suit  me." 

This  important  matter  disposed  of,  she  began  to  look  about 
Star's  room  with  some  curiosity. 

To  begin  with,  it  was  exquisitely  neat  and  clean,  and  the 
utmost  had  been  made  of  the  small  and  meagerly  furnished 
apartment.  A  sheet  had  been  ripped  in  halves,  gathered  across 
the  one  window,  and  then  looped  on  either  side  with  broad 
bands  and  bows  of  light  blue  cambric.  A  corner  bracket, 
brought  to  light  from  among  some  rubbish  in  the  store-room, 
had  been  covered  with  blue  cambric,  and  over  this  hung  a 
daintily  ruffled  curtain  of  dotted  muslin,  while  upon  the  shelf 
were  arranged  Star's  few  books  and  a  small  vase  filled  with 
flowers.  This  last-mentioned  object  had  been  a  gift  from  Mrs. 
Blunt  at  Christmas — her  only  remembrance  on  that  day. 

The  small  table  was  covered  with  a  spotless  towel  having  a 
blue  border — more  of  Mrs.  Blunt's  thoughtfulness — and  there 
was  a  bright  strip  of  carpeting  before  the  bed,  which  was  cov 
ered  with  a  cheap  but  immaculate  spread.  Upon  the  bureau 
another  towel  was  laid,  and  on  this  Star's  few  toilet  articles  were 
Arranged  with  the  utmost  care. 

Josephine  opened  and  curiously  peeped  into  the  drawers, 


<j2  CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE. 

In  one  there  was  a  very  limited  supply  of  clean,  neatly  folded 
clothing ;  in  another  two  or  three  handkerchiefs,  as  many  col 
lars,  a  ribbon  or  two,  a  small  wooden  box  which  was  locked, 
arid  a  worn  portfolio — another  trophy  from  the  store-room — 
which  was  also  locked  and  no  key  visible. 

"I  wonder  what  is  in  this?"  Josephine  said,  taking  up  the 
box  and  shaking  it,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  its  contents. 

They  appeared  to  be  somewhat  heavy,  and  to  be  wrapped 
about  with  cotton  cr  a  napkin,  and  she  was  forced  to  put  it 
down,  her  curiosity  ungratified.  It  was  the  same  with  the  port 
folio,  and,  with  a  frown  of  disappointment,  she  returned  this 
also  to  its  place. 

There  was  very  little  to  attract  any  one  in  the  little  maiden's 
bower,  and  yet  it  had  a  cozy,  home-like  air  about  it ;  but  her 
scant  wardrobe,  as  Josephine  opened  the  closet  door  to  look 
within,  appeared  very  mean  in  the  petted  and  indulged  beauty's 
eyes;  and,  indeed,  it  compared  very  unfavorably  with  the  pretty 
outfit  which  had  gone  down  on  the  ill-fated  vessel  on  which 
Star  had  sailed. 

"It  is  a  mystery  to  me  how  she  manages  always  to  look  so 
nice  with  these  few  traps,"  Miss  Richards  muttered,  as  she 
shut  the  door  with  a  sign  of  disgust  and  turned  to  leave  the 
room. 

" Ha!  what  have  we  here?"  she  cried,  as  she  caught  sight  of 
a  new,  prettily  bound  book  lying  on  the  small  table.  "Oh, 
this  is  fhat  new  novel  that  I  heard  Charlie  Carpenter  raving 
about  the  other  evening.  I  wonder  where  she  got  it.  I  think 
I'll  appropriate  it  myself;  it  looks  inviting, "  she  added,  slipping 
the  leaves  through  her  fingers. 

" Chatsworth's  Pride,"  she  continued,  turning  to  the  title 
page.  "I  should  like  to  know  who  wrote  it;  but  the  author's 
name  is  not  given.  However,  I'll  read  it,  and  see  if  it  is  as 
wonderful  as  Charlie  said." 

It  was  not  a  large  book,  and  dropping  it  into  her  pocket,  this 


CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE.  93 

"Paul  Pry"  in  petticoats  stole  from  Star's  little  bower  and 
glided  unobserved  to  her  own  room,  having  accomplished  her 
object  in  securing  the  coveted  cameo,  and  vented  her  spite 
upon  the  offending""  girl  for  having  daied  to  outshine  her  in  the 
presence  of  her  father.  , 

Later,  when  Star  went  up  to  her  little  sanctum  and  found 
both  pin  and  book  gone,  she  surmised  at  once  who  had  been 
there. 

The  loss  of  the  book  she  did  not  mind  so  much,  although 
she  was  reading  it  and  had  been  obliged  to  lay  it  aside  in  the 
midst  of  a  most  interesting  chapter ;  while  she  knew  that  when 
Josephine  had  read  it  she  would  doubtless  throw  it  one  side, 
and  she  could  easily  get  it  again.  But  to  lose  the  cameo— that 
precious  gift  of  kind,  handsome  Archibald  Sherbrooke — was 
more  than  she  could  bear  with  either  patience  or  fortitude,  and 
a  passion  of  tears  testified  to  her  grief  for  her  loss. 

She  knew  that  it  would  be  useless  to  appeal  to  Josephine  for 
it ;  she  could  not  prove  that  she  had  taken  it,  and  she  would 
doubtless  feign  astonishment  and  innocence  if  questioned  re 
garding  it,  and  unless  she  could  regain  possession  of  it  by 
strategy,  it  was,  she  feared,  lost  to  her  forever. 

A  week  subsequently  the  family  repaired  to  their  country 
residence  at  Yonkers,  where  they  usually  spent  the  hot  months, 
excepting  a  few  weeks'  sojourn  at  some  fashionable  watering 
place  or  mountain  resort. 

Here  Star,  who  had  been  told  that  she  was  to  have  the  use 
of  the  music-room  whenever  she  wished,  began  her  work  in 
earnest,  and  gave  six  hours  a  day  to  hard,  faithful  piactice. 

Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  however,  she  went  into  New  York 
to  take  her  lesson,  Mr.  Richards  having  arranged  with  one  of 
the  first  teachers  for  her  instruction.  In  spite  of  Mr.  Richards' 
commands  to  the  contrary,  she  persisted  in  doing  many  little 
things  to  assist  Mrs.  Blunt,  although  she  was  relieved  from  all 


94  CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE. 

regular  duty.     The   housekeeper  often   demurred  when   Star 
offered  her  services. 

"  You  shall  not  spoil  your  hands,  child,"  she  would  say,  with 
a  fond  glance  at  those  delicate  members;  "I  can  get  along  as 
well  alone  now  as  I  used  to,  or  I'm  much  mistaken. " 

"Never  mind  my  hands,  Mrs.  Blunt;  I  can't  practice  all 
the  time,  and  I  must  have  some  exercise.  It  is  a  pleasant 
change  for  me  to  help  you  once  in  awhile,  and  have  a  little 
cozy  chat,"  Star  answered,  heartily;  and  the  woman,  who,  to 
say  the  least,  did  not  have  either  an  easy  or  pleasant  time  her 
self,  was  often  beguiled  into  allowing  her  to  have  her  own  way, 
and  was  cheered  in  no  small  degree  by  her  sunny  face  and  gay 
chatter. 

"That  girl'll  make  her  mark  in  the  world,  bless  her  heart! 
She'll  make  a  better  and  smarter  woman  than  Miss  Josephine, 
or  I'm  much  mistaken,"  she  was  wont  to  remark  forty  times  a 
month  to  the  cook,  and  she  grew  to  love  our  gentle  Star  with 
an  almost  motherly  affection. 

When  not  attending  to  her  music,  Star  spent  most  of  the 
time  in  her  own  room,  and  no  one  questioned  as  to  how  she 
occupied  it ;  and  although  she  continued  to  be  ignored  by  the 
family  when  it  was  possible  to  do  so,  and  snubbed  and  sneered 
at  when  it  was  not,  she  was  comparatively  happy,  knowing  that 
every  day  well  spent  was  helping  her  on  toward  emancipation 
and  independence. 

One  day  Mr.  Richards  came  home  with  a  very  grave  face 
and  sought  an  audience  with  his  wife. 

"  I  have  a  letter  from  your  Uncle  Jacob  here,"  he  said,  draw 
ing  one  from  his  pocket  as  he  spoke. 

Mrs.  Richards'  face  lighted  instantly. 

"  From  Uncle  Jacob  ?  That  is  good  news.  Has  he  re 
turned  ?" 

"Yes." 


CHANGE     OF   fVRTUNE. 


95 


"  How  is  the  dear  old  man,  and  when  is  he  coming  to  make 
us  a  visit?"  she  asked,  with  animation. 

"  He  is  not  at  all  well — has  been  having  serious  trouble  with 
his  head  and  eyes.  He  returned  last  fall,  and  since  then  has 
been  visiting  your  brother  in  the  West  Listen,  and  I  will 
read  you  what  he  says : 

"  '  MY  DEAR  GEORGE  : — "^ou  see  by  the  heading  of  this  that  the  wan 
derer  has  returned — yes,  and  returned  to  wander  no  more.  I  cannot  write 
much,  for  I  am  not  able  to  do  so.  I  returned  from  abroad  last  fall,  since 
when  I  have  been  with  Henry,  and  now  propose  to  go  East  and  visit  or 
make  my  future  home  with  you,  as  you  have  so  often  pressed  me  to  do.  I 
know  you  will  heartily  sympathize  with  me  when  I  tell  you  that  the 
steamer  on  which  I  sailed  was  wrecked,  and  all  I  had  was  lost.  I  regret 
to  come  to  you,  as  I  shall,  almost  penniless,  and  in  this  broken  state;  but 
you  have  so  often  told  me  that  there  would  always  be  "  a  warm  corner  in 
your  home  "  for  me,  that  I  am  going  to  take  you  at  your  word.  I  shall 
not  wait  for  a  reply  to  this,  but  follow  almost  immediately,  for  I  know  I 
shall  meet  with  a  hearty  welcome.'  " 

Then  followed  a  few  affectionate  sentences  for  each  member 
of  the  family,  but  Mrs.  Richards  scarce  heeded  them. 

"It  can't  be  possible  that  Uncle  Jacob  has  lost  all  his 
property  !"  she  cried,  aghast.  "  Why,  the  last  we  heard  he  was 
worth  a  million !" 

"  I  know;  but  in  these  days  it  does  not  take  long  to  lose  a 
million,"  her  husband  replied,  gravely,  adding:  "It  is  a  mis 
fortune,  indeed,  for  the  old  man ;  but  we  will  do  the  best  we 
can  for  him,  allowing  him  to  feel  it  as  little  as  possible.  He 
will  feel  it,  however,  for  he  was,  as  I  remember  him,  a  very 
high-spirited,  independent  man. " 

Mrs.  Richards'  face  was  crimson  from  mingled  emotions. 

"It  is  a  shame!"  she  cried,  angrily.  "Uncle  Jacob  always 
gave  Henry  and  me  to  understand  that  we  should  be  his  heirs ; 
and  now  we  have  to  lose  half  a  million  apiece.  How  under  the 
sun  do  you  suppose  he  lost  it?" 

"I  have  no  idea — some  speculation,  doubtless/' 


ft  CHANGE    OF   FORTUNE. 

"It  appears  that  he  expects  to  be  taken  care  of  in  his  old 
age  just  the  same  as  if  he  were  the  Croesus  we  have  always  sup 
posed  him  to  be,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  wrathfully. 

"He  has  a  right  to  expect  it,"  her  husband  replied,  with 
some  sternness;  "you  have  always  professed  the  deepest  affec 
tion  for  him,  and  urged  him  to  make  his  home  with  you. 
Who  should  take  care  of  him  in  his  misfortune  if  not  his  only 
brother's  children  ?" 

"  Henry  is  as  well  able  to  have  him  as  I  am,  and  I  don't  see 
why  he  could  not  have  staid  there." 

"Perhaps  he  was  no  more  welcome  there  than  it  appears  he 
will  be  here,"  Mr.  Richards  remarked,  sarcastically. 

"Well,  I'm  not  going  to  have  him  here,  and  there's  an  end 
of  the  matter.  I  shall  post  him  right  back  to  Henry.  His  wife 
does  not  have  half  the  care  that  I  do,  socially.  We  might  as 
well  open  a  hospital  for  the  lame,  the  blind,  the  halt,  and  beg 
gars  generally. " 

"  I  am  astonished  to  hear  you  speak  thus,  Ellen,  and  of  your 
own  relatives,  too,  especially  after  all  your  flattering  protesta 
tions.  Of  course  we  will  receive  your  uncle  kindly,  and  show 
him  all  proper  attention. " 

"  I  will  not,"  his  wife  retorted,  angrily.  "  I  may  as  well  set 
my  foot  down  first  as  last;  he  shall  not  come  here  to  be  a 
burden  upon  us.  You  have  had  your  way  about  Stella ;  now 
I'll  have  mine  in  this  matter.  One  beggar  in  the  house  is 
enough. " 

".Ellen,  how  you  are  changed  1  When  I  first  knew  you,  you 
were  sweet-tempered  and  kind.  I  believe  your  life  of  unlimited 
indulgence  and  luxury  has  soured  and  hardened  you,"  Mr. 
Richards  said,  with  a  regretful  sigh  for  the  early  days  of  his 
married  life,  when  his  wife  was  loving  and  lovable. 

"Thank  you;  your  compliments  are  not  of  a  particularly 
'sweet'  nature,"  she  answered,  scornfully. 

"Your  uncle  says  he  shall  follow  his  letter  immediately;  he 


THE    UNWELCOME    pUEST.  97 

may  arrive  at  any  l^pur.     Wha{  shall  we  do  with  him?"  asked 
Mr.  Richards,  taking  no  notice  of  her  sarcasm. 

"I  don't  know — I  don't  care.  Tell  him  that  the  house  is 
full  of  company — anything  you  please ;  only  mind,  /  will  not 
be  burdened  with  a  half  blind,  decrepit  old  man ;"  and  the  ex 
cited  woman  flounced  angrily  from  the  room,  leaving  her  hus 
band  sitting  alone  in  sad  and  troubled  thought. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   UNWELCOME   GUEST. 

Ou  the  very  evening  of  the  day  of  that  spirited  discussion 
between  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richards  regarding  the  coming  of  the 
latter's  uncle,  a  railway  carriage  stopped  before  the  door  of  their 
mansion,  and  an  old  man  alighted. 

He  was  dusty  and  travel-stained ;  his  hair  and  beard  were 
white  as  snow ;  his  clothing — a  common  business  suit — con 
siderably  the  worse  for  the  wear ;  while  he  wore  a  dark -green 
visor  or  shade  over  his  eyes,  and  appeared  both  weary  and 
feeble. 

He  inquired  of  the  servant  who  answered  his  ring  for  Mrs. 
Richards,  and  was  told  in  an  indifferent,  almost  impudent, 
manner  that  she  was  ' '  engaged. " 

"Humph  !"  ejaculated  the  visitor,  lifting  the  green  shade  and 
giving  the  man  a  keen  look ;  "where  is  your  master?" 

"In  the  library,"  was  the  rather  more  respectful  answer. 

"Show  me  the  way  there,"  commanded  the  stranger,  authori 
tatively;  and  the  servant  turned  with  a  subdued  air  to  obey 
him,  recognizing  at  once  his  superior  in  spite  of  the  travel- 
Stained,  shabby  clothing. 


gS  THE    UNWELCOME    GUEST. 

Mr.  Richards  received  his  wife's  relative  with  every  appear 
ance  of  cordiality,  although  there  was  a  restraint  in  his  manner 
which  could  be  felt  rather  than  explained. 

"Ah,  Uncle  Jacob  !"  he  said,  as  he  shook  him  by  the  hand 
and  took  his  hat  from  him;  "we  hardly  thought  you  could 
arrive  quite  so  soon.  I  should  have  looked  for  you  to-morrow, 
however.  Sit  down — sit  down  ;  and,  John,"  turning  to  the  man 
who  had  shown  him  in,  "tell  Mrs.  Blunt  to  fix  up  a  nice  little 
supper  and  send  it  in  here  on  a  tray. " 

"Don't  put  yourself  out,  George;  anything  will  do  for  to 
night.  I  am  more  tired  than  hungry,"  the  old  man  said,  sink 
ing  into  a  luxurious  chair  with  a  weary  sigh,  and  removing  the 
green  shade  entirely  from  his  eyes. 

Mr.  Richards  fidgeted  and  looked  uneasy. 

He  knew  that  there  was  not  a  room  in  the  house  that  his 
wife  would  give  up;  every  one  had  been  arranged  for  company 
who  were  expected  or  had  already  arrived,  and  he  was  at  his 
wits'  end  to  know  what  to  do  with  him. 

"  Uncle  Jacob "  poor  and  ill  was  an  entirely  different  char 
acter  from  ' '  Uncle  Jacob  "  rich  and  prosperous. 

But  he  sat  chatting  socially  with  him  until  Mrs.  Blunt  ap 
peared  with  a  tray  and  served  a  tempting  little  meal,  which  the 
old  gentleman  ate  with  evident  relish. 

"I  was  more  hungry  than  I  thought,"  he  said,  when  at 
length  he  had  finished  his  second  cup  of  tea,  eaten  the  leg  of  a 
chicken  and  a  couple  of  rolls.  "  Now,  if  you  please,  I  should 
like  to  be  shown  to  my  room,  for  I  have  traveled  a  long  dis 
tance  to-day.  But — where  is  Ellen  ?  I  should  like  to  exchange 
greetings  with  her  before  I  go." 

"Ahem  !"  began  Mr.  Richards,  feeling  extremely  uncomfort 
able.  "Ellen  has  a  house  full  of  company  to-night;  if  you 

could  excuse  her,  and  wait  until  to-morrow " 

"Certainly — certainly,"  the  old  man  said,  hastily,  but  in  a 


THE    UNWELCOME    GUEST. 


99 


disappointed  tone ;  for  his  niece  had  always  been  the  first  to 
greet  him  and  express  her  delight  at  his  coming  heretofore. 

"And,"  continued  his  host,  growing  very  red  in  the  face, 
"  I  am  very  sorry,  but — every  room  in  the  house  is  taken. 
Would  you  mind  sleeping  at  the  lodge  until  we  can  make  a 
place  for  you  ?" 

The  old  gentleman  bent  a  keen  glance  upon  the  speaker 
at  this. 

He  saw  his  embarrassment,  marked  his  averted  eye  and 
shamefaced  air,  and  mistrusted  something  of  its  cause. 

"Sleep  at  the  lodge?"  he  repeated,  in  a  peculiar  tone.  "Oh, 
no ;  I've  just  come  from  Henry's,  where  I  slept  over  the  stable. 
They  had  a  '  house  full  of  company,'  too.  Is  the  lodge  far  from 
here?  You  know  I've  never  been  in  this  house  before." 

"About  two  minutes'  walk;  I  will  go  with  you  and  see  that 
you  are  made  comfortable.  It  is  too  bad  that  things  should 
happen  so,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  with  real  regret  as  he  saw  how 
weary  th«  traveler  was,  and  he  had  half  a  mind  to  ring  and 
command  that  he  be  shown  into  one  of  the  guest  chambers  in 
spite  of  his  wife's  objections. 

"Never  mind,  George;  I  shall  sleep  just  as  well  there  as 
here,  no  donbt,"  and  he  arose  as  if  anxious  to  get  away. 

"Where  is  your  baggage?  I  will  attend  to  having  what  you 
need  sent  down,"  Mr.  Richards  remarke.1,  as  he  took  up  his 
hat  to  accompany  him. 

"I  have  nothing  but  a  small  valise,"  was  the  reply.  "You 
know  I  wrote  you  that  I  had  been  very  unfortunate.  I  was  on 

board  the that  was  lost  last  fall,  and  everything  I  had  on 

board  went  down. " 

"On  board  the  -  -  were  you  ? '  cried  Mr.  Richards,  in  sur 
prise,  and  glad  of  any  change  in  the  subject  of  conversation. 
"Why,  then  you  must  have  known  Star,  as  she  was  also  on 
that  steamer. " 

"Star — Star  Gladstone,  do  you  mean?"  eagerly  inquired  Mr. 


joo  THE    UNWELCOME    GUEST. 

Rosevelt,  for  it  was  he,  as  doubtless  the  reader  has  surmised 
before  this. 

"Yes,  Star,  or  Stella  Gladstone,  is  her  name." 

Mr.  Rosevelt  sat  down  again,  his  face  full  of  interest  and 
animation  now,  and  forgetting  his  weariness  for  the  time  in  his 
desire  to  learn  something  of  the  beautiful  girl  to  whom  he  was 
so  deeply  indebted. 

"Where  is  she?"  he  asked.  "What  do  you  know — what 
can  you  tell  me  about  her?" 

"She  is  here  in  this  house,"  Mr.  Richards  answered.  "She 
is  the  child  of  one  of  my  wife's  relatives  who  resided  in  Eng 
land,  and  Ellen,  upon  learning  that  she  was  an  orphan  and 
homeless,  consented  to  have  her  come  here,"  he  concluded, 
trying  to  make  the  best  of  a  very  poor  story. 

' '  I  never  expected  to  hear  anything  of  her  again,  but  I  am 
very  glad  to  know  that  she  is  here,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  with 
evident  emotion.  "She  saved  my  life  during  that  awful  time, 
almost  at  the  sacrifice  of  her  own.  It  would,  perhaps,  have 
been  better  had  she  not  exerted  herself  in  my  behalf  so  much. 
It  is  not  a  pleasant  feeling  to  know  that  one  is  regarded  as  an 
incumbrance  and  a  burden,"  he  continued,  with  some  bitter 
ness;  "but  I  shall  never  forget  her  heroism  while  I  live.  She 
nearly  starved  herself  to  death  to  keep  life  in  me." 

"I  am  astonished  at  what  you  tell  me,"  returned  Mr.  Rich 
ards,  feeling  a  deeper  interest  in  Star  than  ever  before. 

"She  disappeared  very  suddenly  from  the  steamer  which 
picked  us  up  and  brought  us  into  port.  I  went  down  to  my 
state-room  for  something,  and  then  to  the  captain  to  thank 
him  for  his  kindness  and  bid  him  farewell,  and  when  I  went  to 
look  for  her  she  had  gone ;  some  one  had  come  and  taken  he 
away. " 

"  Yes ;  we  heard  of  the  arrival  of  a  steamer  with  some  of  the 
wrecked  on  board,  and  Ellen  immediately  sent  Mrs.  Blunt  down 
to  see  if  Star  was  among  them, "  explained  Mr.  Richards. 


THE     U7TVr®LCOtrE    GUEST.  IOI 

"She  must  be  a  pleasant  addition  to  your  family,  George; 
she  was  a  very  attractive  girl." 

"Ahem!"  that  gentleman  replied,  avoiding  the  keen  eye 
fixed  upon  him.  "  Yes;  she  is  a  smart  and  talented  girl ;  she 
will  make  a  fine  woman,  without  doubt.  Would  you  like  to 
see  her  to-night?" 

"  No ;  I  believe  I  am  too  tired.  I  will  go  to  the  lodge  now, 
if  you  please.  I  can  see  her  to-morrow;"  and  the  old  man 
arose  again. 

Mr.  Richards  led  the  way  from  the  room,  getting  his  baggage 
from  the  hall,  and  then  took  him  through  the  dining-room  to 
lead  him  out  by  a  side  door. 

As  they  passed  through  the  hall,  sounds  of  music  and  laughter 
came  to  them  from  the  drawing-room ;  and  had  any  one  been 
watching  Mr.  Rosevelt  closely,  he  might  have  seen  his  lips  curl 
with  something  like  scorn  and  his  eyes  gleam  indignantly,  in 
spite  of  his  weariness. 

As  Mr.  Richards  opened  the  outside  door  leading  out  upon 
the  veranda,  a  slight  figure  sprang  up  from  the  step,  and  Star, 
with  a  startled  glance,  turned  and  confronted  them. 

A  look  of  surprise  swept  over  her  face  a4,  she  saw  Mr. 
Richards'  companion ;  then,  with  a  low  cry  of  joy,  she  darted 
forward  and  seized  Mr.  Rosevelt  by  the  hand. 

"Oh,  sir,"  she  said,  tremulously,  "I  was  afraid  I  should 
never  see  you  again  !  How  glad  I  am  to  meet  you  once 
more  !" 

Mr.  Rosevelt  recognized  her  at  once,  and  recognized,  too,  the 
heartiness  and  sincerity  of  her  welcome.  There  was  nothing 
forced  or  constrained  about  either  her  words  or  manner. 

"Ah,  Miss  Star,  I  am  as  glad  to  see  you  as  you  can  possibly 
be  to  see  me,"  he  said,  shaking  her  hand  warmly.  "I  little 
thought,"  he  went  on,  "that  when  you  and  I  were  faring  so 
poorly  together  that  we  were  bound  for  the  same  place.  I  in- 


102  THE    UNWELCOME    GUEST. 

tended  then  to  come  here  before  this.  Why  did  you  not  tell 
me  that  you  were  a  relative  of  Mrs.  Richards?" 

"I  did  not  think  much  about  it,  sir,  or  that  my  destination 
could  interest  you,"  she  answered. 

"Tut,  tut,  child!"  he  said,  gently;  ".iny thing  connected 
with  you  would  have  been  of  interest  to  me  after  your  kind 
ness  to  me.  I  was  deeply  disappointed  to  find  you  gone  when 
I  went  to  seek  you  ;  but  they  told  me  that  some  one  had  come 
and  taken  you  away,  so  I  was  forced  to  go  my  way  also.  Well," 
he  concluded,  smiling,  "I  have  found  you  now,  and  I  shall 
not  lose  sight  of  you  again." 

"But  are  you  going  away  now,  sir?"  Star  asked,  glancing  at 
the  bag  Mr  Richards  was  carrying,  and  which  had  the  initials 
"  J.  R. "  painted  upon  it. 

"No;  only  to  the  lodge  for  sleeping  accommodations,  as 
there  is  no  room  in  the  house  for  me." 

"  No  room  in  the  house  for  you?"  Star  repeated,  in  astonish 
ment;  but  something  in  Mr.  Richards'  face  warned  her  that  all 
was  not  as  he  would  wish,  and  she  added,  flushing:  "I  wish 
you  would  take  my  room,  then  ;  for  I  can  sleep  very  nicely  on 
the  lounge  in  the  sewing-room." 

Mr.  Richards  raved  inwardly  over  his  wife's  obstinacy  and 
heartlessness,  which  compared  so  unfavorably  with  this  gentle 
girl's  generosity  and  self-denial ;  but  he  could  only  hold  his 
peace  and  let  matters  take  their  course,  for  if  he  interfered  with 
his  wife  in  her  present  state  of  bitterness  and  disappointment 
over  the  loss  of  her  expected  fortune,  he  knew  that  a  domestic 
squall  would  be  sure  to  follow,  and  one  which  it  would  be  hard 
to  settle. 

"No,  thank  you,  Miss  Star,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  returned;  "I 
will  go  to  the  lodge  until  there  is  room  for  me  in  the  house. 
You  are  as  kind  and  self-sacrificing  as  ever,  I  perceive,  but  I 
will  not  deprive  you  of  your  room.  Good-night,  my  child ;  I 
shall  see  you  to-morrow. " 


THE     UNWELCOME    GUEST.  /OJ 

He  laid  his  hand  in  a  tender,  caressing  way  on  her  head ; 
then  went  out  with  Mr.  Richards,  whom  he  enlightened  still 
further  regarding  that  eventful  voyage  which  he  and  Star  had 
made  together. 

She  stood  still  in  the  door-way  looking  after  them,  a  puzzled 
expression  on  her  face,  a  gleam  of  indignation  in  her  large 
blue  eyes. 

She  had  overheard  Mrs.  Richards  telling  Josephine  some 
thing  about  "Uncle  Jacob,"  that  afternoon  after  leaving  her 
husband. 

The  name  had  made  her  think  of  Mr.  Rosevelt,  and  he  had 
been  in  her  thoughts  most  of  the  time  since ;  but  she  had  not 
imagined  that  they  were  referring  to  him,  or  that  he  was  a 
relative  of  the  family.  Now  she  saw  that  he  was  the  "Uncle 
Jacob"  to  whom  she  referred,  but  she  could  not  understand  his 
being  sent  out  of  the  house  to  sleep. 

"No  room  in  the  house  1  What  can  they  mean?"  she  mur 
mured,  with  tingling  cheeks,  for  she  knew  of  three  unoccupied 
beds  that  he  might  have  had  as  well  as  not. 

To  be  sure  they  had  been  made  up  for  company  that  was 
expected,  but  the  visitors  would  not  arrive  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  it  seemed  such  an  inhospitable  thing  to  send  that  old  man 
away  down  to  the  lodge,  with  its  close,  small  rooms,  to  sleep. 

"I  hope  I  shall  never  be  rich  if  it  would  make  me  hard 
hearted  like  that,"  she  said,  with  indignation.  "  I  would  prefer 
to  struggle*  all  my  life  with  poverty,  and  have  a  kind  and 
generous  heart — one  that  can  feel  for  others  in  trouble  and 
sorrow  How  tired  and  ill  he  looked,  too,"  she  went  on,  re 
calling  his  pale  face  and  drooping  attitude,  "and  he  is  such  a 
splendid  man  !" 

"It  makes  me  think  of  those  other  words."  she  said,  the 
tears  springing  to  her  eyes:  "  'And  there  was  no  room  in  the 
inn/  and  of  One  who,  in  consequence,  had  to  lie  in  a  manger. 
That  could  not  be  helped,  for  there  was  no  room ;  but  this  is 


104  FILTHY   LUCRE. 

shameful,  for  there  is  plenty  and  to  spare  here.     How  can  any 
one  treat  one's  father's  brother  so?" 


CHAPTER  XI. 

FILTHY      LUCRE. 

The  next  morning  word  was  brought  from  the  lodge  that 
Mr.  Rosevelt  was  quite  ill,  and  not  able  to  come  up  to  the 
mansion  for  his  breakfast. 

"Breakfast,  indeed  1"  muttered  Mrs.  Richards,  with  a  toss 
of  her  proud  head;  "as  if  he  supposed  he  was  going  to  be 
invited  to  sit  at  the  table  with  my  fashionable  guests  in  his 
shabby  clothes." 

She  had  received  a  full  account  of  his  arrival  and  appearance 
from  her  husband  the  night  previous,  after  Mr.  Rosevelt's  de 
parture  for  the  lodge. 

Mr.  Richards  went  at  once  to  see  him,  and  to  give  orders  to 
Mrs.  Mellen,  the  wife  of  the  gardener,  to  do  everything  for  his 
comfort. 

Later,  his  wife,  with  much  inward  fretting  and  fuming,  fol 
lowed  his  example,  not  because  she  had  any  desire  to  see  him 
or  felt  in  any  way  anxious  about  him,  but  to  save  unpleasant 
remarks  and  comments. 

She  met  her  uncle  with  anything  but  a  cordial  greeting,  and 
which,  even  in  the  midst  of  his  suffering,  he  could  not  fail  to 
feel  keenly. 

"I  am  very  sorry,  Uncle  Jacob,  that  you  are  ill,  especially 
as  I  am  full  of  company  just  now,  and  cannot  personally  give 
you  the  attention  that  you  ought  to  receive,"  she  said,  trying  to 
speak  sympathetically,  but  failing  utterly. 


FILTHY   LUCRE. 


105 


"Never  mind  me,  Ellen.  Mrs.  Mellen  seems  very  kindly 
disposed,  and  will,  no  doubt,  do  all  that  is  necessary  for  me.  I 
am  sorry  to  be  a  burden  to  you  in  my  misfortune,  but  you  have 
always  been  so  kind  to  me,  urging  me  so  cordially  to  come  to 
you  at  any  time,  that  I  thought  you  would  be  glad  to  see  youf 
old  uncle  under  any  circumstances,"  the  old  man  said,  regard- 
ing  her  closely  while  he  was  speaking. 

"I  hope  you  will  soon  be  better,"  Mrs.  Richards  returned, 
evasively. 

She  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  tell  him  that  he  was  no 
burden,  or  to  say  anything  to  make  him  feel  comfortable  and 
ftt  ease  in  his  trying  situation. 

She  was  so  deeply  disappointed  and  chagrined  on  account 
of  the  loss  of  his  fortune,  and  consequently  of  her  share  of 
his  million,  that  it  was  impossible  not  to  betray  something  of 
her  feelings.  , 

"Thank  you,"  he  returned,  coldly.  "Do  not  allow  my  con 
dition  to  cause  you  any  anxiety.  I  am  very  comfortable.  It  is 
very  quiet  here,  and  I  shall  doubtless  do  very  well. " 

"Yes;  you  will  be  more  quiet  here  than  up  at  the  house, 
where  there  are  so  many  people  and  so  much  going  on,"  she 
replied,  eagerly  seizing  this  pretext  for  keeping  him  where  he 
was.  "And,"  she  added,  "if  you  need  anything,  Mrs.  Mellen 
can  attend  to  all  your  wants." 

After  a  few  more  commonplace  remarks,  she  took  her  de- 
parture,  feeling  quite  relieved  to  have  him  so  easily  disposed  of. 
She  had  nothing  to  gain  now  by  fawning  and  flattery,  and 
since  his  gold  was  gone,  he  was  no  more  to  her  than  any  other 
feeble  old  man,  and  it  would  not  pay  even  to  pretend  what  she 
did  not  feel. 

As  she  went  rustling  out  of  the  room  and  down  stairs  in  her 
rich  attire,  her  aged  and  dependent  relative  lay  back  in  his 
chair,  with  a  darkening  brow  and  a  pale,  pained  face. 

"Money!  money!  money!"  he  muttered.     "No  one  is  of 


106  FILTHY   LUCRE. 

much  account  in  this  world  without  plenty  of  the  filthy  lucre. 
It  T  had  come  here  as  I  used  to,  with  plethoric  pockets  instead 
of  an  empty  purse  and  shabby  attire,  no  one  would  have  been 
sweeter  or  more  delighted  to  see  '  dear  Uncle  Jacob '  than  Ellen 
Richards.  And  it  was  just  the  same  with  Henry  and  his  family. 
When  I  could  make  them  costly  presents  and  shower  favors 
upon  them — when  I  was  'Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire' — no 
trouble  was  too  great,  nothing  too  good  for  me.  It  is  a  cold- 
hearted,  selfish  world  ;  no  one  is  to  be  trusted.  But  it  is  a  little 
hard  on  an  old  man  to  find  that  he  must  go  down  to  his  grave 
and  feel  that  he  is  regarded  with  affection  by  nobody.  Talk  of 
'Divine  dispensations/  of  'tempering  the  wind  to  the  shorn 
lamb' — there  is  no  divinity  about  it,  for  the  adverse  winds  of 
the  world  never  blew  so  coldly  on  me  as  at  this  moment."  he 
concluded,  bitterly;  and  bowing  his  head  upon  his  hands,  he 
seemed  to  lose  himself  in  troubled  thought. 

"  May  I  come  in?"  asked  a  gentle  voice  behind  him,  after  a 
few  minutes;  and  turning,  he  saw  two  blue  eyes  gleaming  at 
him  from  beneath  soft  curls  of  sunny  hair,  a  pair  of  red  lips 
smiling  upon  him,  while  a  slight,  graceful  figure,  daintily  clad 
in  a  pretty  blue  lawn  gown,  stood  in  the  door-way,  waiting  for 
his  permission  to  enter. 

Jacob  Rosevelt's  sad  face  involuntarily  brightened  at  the  sight 
of  this  attractive  picture,  and  he  said,  hastily  : 

"Well,  well,  child,  I  believe  you  are  rightly  named,  for  you 
come  like  a  veritable  star  into  the  gloom  of  my  life.  Star 
Gladstone — it  is  but  an  index  to  your  character,  for  you  both 
brighten  and  cheer.  Of  course  you  may  come  in." 

"Thank  you,"  Star  said,  laughing,  and  advancing  to  his  side. 
"  I  did  not  expect  to  be  so  highly  complimented  when  I  came 
out.  I  have  brought  you  this  lovely  spray  of  oleanders  which 
the  gardener  gave  me  from  the  conservatory,"  and  she  held  up 
her  little  vase  containing  the  bright,  fragrant  blossoms.  "And 
here,"  she  continued,  "is  a  dish  of  the  most  delicious  rasp- 


FILTHY    LUCRE. 


107 


berries  you  ever  tasted,  every  one  picked  by  my  own  fingers," 
and  she  held  up  her  right  hand,  showing  her  slender  fingers 
stained  by  the  rosy  fruit. 

He  watched  her,  his  pale  lips  relaxing  into  a  smile,  which 
even  extended  to  the  eyes  that  had  been  so  sad  a  little  while 
before.  She  was  irresistible  in  her  bright  beauty ;  she  was  as 
fresh  and  sweet  as  the  morning  itself,  while  with  her  heart  filled 
with  kindness  and  consideration  for  him,  he  began  to  think  that 
all  the  world  was  not  quite  so  bad  as  he  had  thought. 

"Mrs.  Mellen  told  me,  as  I  came  in,  that  you  did  not  eat 
much  breakfast,"  Star  continued ;  "and  as  she  is  about  to  serve 
you  a  little  lunch,  I  brought  my  berries  right  up  to  give  them 
to  you  myself. " 

Mrs.  Mellen  entered  at  this  moment,  bearing  a  little  tray 
with  a  tempting  lunch  spread  upon  it. 

Star  wheeled  a  small  table  to  the  invalid's  side,  spread  a  spot 
less  towel  which  she  found  upon  the  rack  upon  it,  and  then 
deftly  arranged  the  dishes  in  the  most  tempting  way  before  him, 
putting  the  oleander  blossoms  in  the  center  and  the  raspberries 
just  under  his  nose,  where  he  could  not  fail  to  get  their  delicious 
odor  and  long  to  eat  them. 

"  How  pretty  and  inviting  you  make  everything  look,  little 
©ne,"  he  said,  affectionately,  as  he  watched  her  graceful  move 
ments  and  their  result. 

"What  would  the  world  be  but  for  the  beauty  there  is  in  it? 
and  what  are  pretty  things  given  us  for,  but  to  enjoy?"  Star 
returned,  with  a  fond  glance  at  the  flowers,  as  she  moved  them 
a  trifle  nearer  to  his  plate. 

"There,"  she  went  on,  smiling,  and  tossing  her  hat  upon  a 
chair,  "I  believe  I  am  hungry  myself,  and  if  you  will  allow  me 
te  pour  your  tea,  I  think  I  could  eat  a  slice  of  Mrs.  Mellen's 
delicious  bread  and  butter  with  you  afterward.  You  don't  often 
see  such  bread  as  that,  I  can  assure  you,  and  I  frequently  run 
down  here  and  beg  her  to  give  me  some. " 


108  FILTHY   LUCRE. 

The  young  girl  shot  a  smiling  glance  at  the  woman  as  she 
spoke,  and  the  woman's  face  beamed  with  pleasure  at  this 
tribute  to  her  skill. 

"Bless  you,  child!"  Mr.  Rosevdt  said,  as  he  unfolded  his 
napkin  and  drew  nearer  the  table;  "the  sight  of  your  bright 
face  and  the  smell  of  your  berries  have  given  me  an  appetite 
already.  Sit  down,  sit  down ;  my  tea  will  taste  ten  per  cent, 
better  to  be  poured  by  your  fair  hands,  and  while  we  eat  you 
shall  tell  me  how  it  has  fared  with  you  during  the  past  year.  I 
see  it  has  not  changed  you  at  heart ;  you  are  the  same  as  when 
we  parted,  and  you  were  as  ready  as  ever  last  night  to  sacrifice 
your  own  comfort  for  a  poor  old  man. " 

Star  blushed.  She  felt  almost  as  guilty,  knowing  that  there 
had  been  room  for  him  at  the  house,  as  if  she  had  been  the  one 
to  turn  him  away. 

"I  knew  these  rooms  were  low  and  close,  while  my  room, 
although  rather  high  up,  was  much  more  airy;  besides,  you 
looked  too  tired  and  ill  to  walk  way  down  here,"  Star  explained, 
with  some  embarrassment. 

"Your  own  is  rather  high  up,  is  it?  How  high?"  he  asked, 
giving  her  a  keen  glance. 

"  It  is  in  the  third  story,"  she  answered,  flushing  again. 

"Ah  !  one  would  be  apt  to  get  good  air  in  that  latitude,"  said 
Mr.  Rosevelt,  dryly.  "Now  tell  me,"  he  added,  "what  you 
have  been  doing  since  I  saw  you. " 

Star  gave  him  an  account  of  her  life  at  school,  omitting  for 
several  reasons  to  speak  of  the  fate  which  had  been  intended 
for  her,  and  said  just  as  little  as  she  could  in  connection  with 
Mrs.  Richards  and  her  haughty  daughter,  or  their  treatment  of 
her.  She  told  him  of  her  music,  of  the  books  she  had  read, 
and  what  her  plans  for  the  future  were  when  she  should  graduate 
at  the  end  of  another  year. 

She  spent  more  than  an  hour  with  him,  and  when  at  length 


FILTHY   LUCRE, 

she  left  him,  he  was  apparently  much  cheered  and  a  good  deal 
better  for  her  visit. 

She  went  every  morning  afterward  while  her  vacation  lasted, 
always  taking  him  something  in  the  way  of  fruit  or  flowers,  and 
cheeiing  him  with  he.r  lively  chatting,  until  he  began  to  look 
for  her  coming  as  the  chief  event  of  the  day. 

Sometimes  they  would  wander  together  through  the  beautiful 
grounds  of  Mr.  Richards'  place,  or,  finding  a  cozy  nook,  Star 
would  take  some  interesting  book  and  read  to  him ;  and  as  the 
week  went  by,  he  appeared  to  improve  in  health  and  to  grow 
more  contented  with  his  lot 

He  continued  to  remain  at  the  lodge,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
the  company  had  all  departed,  and  there  was  now  plenty  of 
room  in  the  mansion. 

Mr.  Richards  had  gone  West  on  a  prolonged  business  trip, 
and.  of  course,  could  not  use  his  influence  as  to  any  change; 
while  Mrs.  Richards  appeared  to  ignore  his  presence  entirely, 
unless  she  came  upon  him  unexpectedly,  when  she  would  treat 
him  with  indifferent  politeness. 

Josephine's  attitude  toward  him  was  one  of  proud  disdain, 
although  once  she  professed  great  friendship  for  him  ;  but  now 
he  was  nothing  more  than  an  aged,  decrepit  man — a  sort  of 
"cumberer  of  the  ground,"  and  simply  tolerated  because  it 
would  be  considered  inhuman  to  cast  him  out  at  that  time 
of  life. 

In  September  Mrs.  Richards  and  her  daughter  went  to  Long 
Branch  for  a  change,  leaving  the  household  in  charge  of  Mrs. 
Blunt. 

Star  began  school  again,  going  back  and  forth  by  rail,  as  the 
town  house  would  not  be  opened  again  until  October. 

This  made  it  hard  for  her,  because  she  was  obliged  to  go  so 
early  and  return  so  late ;  but  as  her  comfort  was  not  a  matter 
which  usually  demanded  much  consideration,  and  she  made  no 
complaint,  the  fact  remained  unnoticed. 


HO  FILTHY    LUCRE. 

During  the  absence  of  the  family,  Mr.  Rosevelt  frequented 
the  house,  for  it  was  much  more  comfortable  through  those 
hot  September  days  than  his  contracted  room  at  the  lodge,  and 
he  was  glad  to  avail  himself  of  the  privilege  of  the  well-stocked 
library  to  while  away  the  long  hours  of  Star's  absence. 

In  the  evening  she  would  entertain  him  with  her  music, 
while  on  Saturday  they  both  felt  like  children  out  of  school ; 
and  thus  day  by  day  they  grew  to  feel  a  deep  affection  for  each 
other. 

"She  at  least  does  not  love  me  for  my  money/'  the  old 
man  would  often  mutter  to  himself,  with  a  grim  smile,  after 
receiving  some  thoughtful  attention  from  the  young  girl ;  "her 
affection  is  sincere  and  disinterested,  and  I  pray  that  her  gentle 
heart  may  never  become  seared  and  hardened  by  the  cold 
werld. " 

He  had  long  ago  learned  just  how  Star  was  regarded  by  the 
family,  and  how  they  had  attempted  to  degrade  her  to  the  level 
of  a  common  servant,  and  this  did  not  tend  to  make  him  enter 
tain  any  deeper  respect  for  them. 

His  information  on  this  point  he  had  gathered  chiefly  from 
Mrs.  Blunt.  Star  would  not  talk  about  it,  always  evading  or 
changing  the  subject  in  a  dextrous  way  that  amused  him  in  no 
small  degree. 

Meanwhile  Josephine  and  her  mother  were  flourishing  among 
the  fashionable  at  Long  Branch. 

The  season  proved  to  be  a  very  gay  one;  every  hotel  was- 
crowded,  and  many  noted  people  from  various  countries  were 
sojourning  there. 

Among  others,  the  Richardses  heard  upon  their  arrival,  there 
was  a  young  English  lord  of  great  reputed  wealth,  having,  it 
was  said,  the  largest  rent-roll  in  Derbyshire,  England. 

"They  say  he  is  the  handsomest  man  in  the  place,  as  well 
as  the  richest,"  Josephine  said  to  her  mother,  the  night  after 
their  arrival  at  the  gay  watering-place,  having  heard  this  piece 


FILTHY   LUCRE.  HI 

j 

df  news,  with  much  else,  from  an  intimate  friend.  "All  the 
girls  are  wild  about  him,"  she  pursued.  "Annie  Falkner  was 
introduced  to  him  yesterday,  and  says  he  is  as  charming  in 
conversation  as  he  is  in.  appearance." 

"How  old  is  he?"  asked  Mrs.  Richards,  pricking  up  her 
maternal  ears  at  once  over  this  wonderful  information. 

"About  twenty-one  or  two,  Annie  thought  he  might  be. 
He  has  been  traveling  in  this  country  for  a  year,  just  to  see  a 
little  of  the  world  before  settling  upon  his  own  estate.  It  is 
whispered,"  the  eager  damsel  went  on,  with  flushing  cheeks 
and  sparkling  eyes,  "that  he  has  heard  of  the  beauty  of 
American  ladies,  and  is  on  the  lookout  for  a  handsome  wife ;" 
and  Josephine  tossed  her  head  with  a  conscious  smile,  as  her 
eyes  wandered  to  the  reflection  of  her  own  fine  face  and  figure 
in  an  opposite  mirror. 

"That  is  somewhat  doubtful,  I  think,  since  the  English 
nobility  are  very  jealous  regarding  marriages  outside  the  pale 
of  their  own  rank.  However,  such  things  are  happening  every 
year  now,  and  this  young  lord  may  be  captivated  by  some  of 
our  American  beauties,  after  all ;"  and  Mrs.  Richards  bestowed 
a  glance  of  pride  upon  her  handsome  daughter,  and  thought 
how  delightful  it  would  be  to  figure  as  mother-in-law  to  an* 
English  lord,  and  to  be  able  to  say,  "my  daughter,  Lady  So- 
and-So. " 

That  evening  Josephine  Richards,  the  most  brilliant  girl  in 
the  ball-room  of  the  Howard  House — the  hotel  where  they 
were  stopping — was  made  supremely  happy  by  receiving  an  in 
troduction  to  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrol  ton,  Derbyshire,  England. 

One  look  into  the  frank,  handsome  eyes  of  the  manly 
stranger,  one  touch  of  his  hand,  one  tone  of  his  rich,  musical 
voice  as  it  vibrated  in  her  ears,  and  she  knew  that  she  had 
met  the  man  whom  she  should  love  with  the  one  great  passion 
0f  her  life. 

He  was  tall,  with  a  well-developed  form,  straight,  strong,  and 


112  FILTH 'f   LUCRE. 

lithe ;  a  splendidly  shaped  head,  with  masses  of  waving  brown 
hair ;  clear,  truthful,  brown  eyes,  full  of  fire  and  intelligence ; 
a  full,  rather  low  brow,  a  straight  nose,  and  a  smiling  but  de 
cided  mouth,  with  brilliant,  even  teeth. 

It  was  not  much  wonder  that  the  "girls  were  wild"  over 
such  a  man  as  this,  and  he  a  o  rd,  with  a  rent-roll  of  sixty 
thousand  a  year. 

Josephine  herself,  at  nineteen,  was  a  magnificent-looking  girl, 
at  least  when  she  was  good-natured  and  animated. 

She  was  a  clear,  brilliant  brunette,  with  eyes  as  black  as 
night,  a  wealth  of  midnight  hair,  a  fine  form,  and  clearly  cut, 
rather  delicate  features ;  and  all  this,  added  to  a  faultless  taste 
in  matters  of  dress,  went  far  toward  making  her  the  chief  attrac 
tion  wherever  she  went. 

My  Lord  of  Carrolton  seemed  no  less  pleased  with  her  than 
she  with  him,  and  spent  a  goodly  portion  of  the  evening  by  her 
side  after  making  her  acquaintance,  much  to  the  chagrin  and 
indignation  of  other  anxious,  blooming  maidens  and  fond, 
managing  mammas. 

"Have  you  ever  visited  Europe?"  the  young  peer  asked  his 
companion,  as  he  led  her  to  a  seat  at  the  conclusion  of  a 
quadrille. 

"Never,  my  lord,  but  I  think  we  shall  persuade  papa  to 
take  us  upon  a  European  trip  by  another  year.  Mamma  has 
some  distant  relatives,  I  believe,  somewhere  in  England," 
Josephine  replied. 

"I  trust  you  will  be  as  well  pleased  with  my  country  and 
countrymen  as  I  am  with  America  and  Americans,"  Lord  Carrol 
remarked,  gallantly,  with  an  inclination  or  ftis  grand  head,  and 
bestowing  a  look  of  admiration  upon  his  companion. 

Josephine  flushed  with  pleasure.  His  glance,  his  gesture,  his 
words,  all  plainly  indicated  that  he  did  not  consider  her  the 
least  attraction  in  America  or  among  Americans. 

"Thank  you,  in  the  name  of  my  native  land,"  she  said; 


FILTHY    LUCRE.  H3 

"but  I  think  you  must  be  an  exception  to  the  proverbial 
Englishman,  for  I  have  been  told  that,  as  a  rule,  they  do  not 
like  us  any  too  well.  They  cannot  forgive  us  our  indepen 
dence.  " 

"One  may  be  forced  to  admire  in  one  way  that  which  it 
might  not  be  pleasant  to  contemplate  in  another,"  his  lordship 
returned.  ''But, "he  added,  "I  trust  that  as  we,  as  nations, 
become  better  acquainted  with  each  other  by  the  frequent  inter 
change  of  courtesies,  we  shall  also  become  better  friends. " 

"  Have  you  been  long  in  America?" 

"Nearly  a  year.  I  have  visited  a  large  portion  of  the  country, 
and  I  must  confess  that  I  am  greatly  pleased  and  interested  in 
what  I  have  seen,  and  particularly  so  with  your  free  institutions 
and  schools.  Your  people,  too,  are  generous,  free-hearted,  and 
intelligent,  while  the  beauty  of  American  ladies,  you  know,  is 
proverbial,"  he  concluded,  smiling. 

Josephine's  dark  eyes  drooped  shyly  beneath  his  glance,  while 
the  blood  went  rippling  to  her  heart  with  a  thrill  such  as  she 
had  never  before  experienced. 

"I  shall  remain  two  or  three  months  longer,"  he  continued ; 
"and  I  think  when  I  do  return,  notwithstanding  I  love  old 
England  very  dearly,  I  shall  go  with  something  of  regret." 

He  would  remain  two  or  three  months  longer. 

Josephine's  heart  leaped  exultingly ;  she  would  meet  him 
often,  perhaps,  this  nojjle  young  peer;  and  what  might  not 
happen  in  two  or  three  months? 

' '  Do  you  remain  long  at  Long  Branch  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Three  or  four  weeks,  perhaps.  I  find  it  very  pleasant  here," 
he  said;  and  again  that  thrill  leaped  through  her  veins.  "I 
shall  then  go  to  New  York,"  he  added,  "where  I  shall  make 
my  headquarters  until  I  return  to  England." 

"  Perhaps  we  can  help  to  make  your  stay  in  New  York  pleas 
ant,"  Josephine  said,  with  her  most  brilliant  smile.  "Mamma 
and  I  are  to  remain  here  until  the  first  of  October,  when  we 


II4  THE   CAMEO  RING. 

shall  go  home,  and  can,  perhaps,  help  to  show  you  more  of 
our  great  city  than  you  would  otherwise  see. " 

"Thanks;  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  avail  myself  of  your 
kindness.  But  there  is  the  signal  for  supper ;  may  I  take 
you  in?" 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  fascinated  girl  accepted  his  in 
vitation,  and  spent  the  hour  feasting  more  upon  the  young 
lord's  handsome  looks  and  charming  conversation  than  upon 
the  choice  viands  which  he  placed  before  her. 

It  was  evident  that  he  also  experienced  pleasure  in  her 
society,  for,  when  he  took  her  to  Mrs.  Richards — as  she  made 
a  signal  that  she  wished  to  retire  from  the  company — and  was 
introduced  to  her,  and  then  accompanied  them  both  to  the  foot 
of  the  staircase  leading  to  their  apartments,  he  asked  and  ob 
tained  permission  to  call  upon  them  on  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE      CAMEO      RING. 

A  fortnight  passed,  and  the  Brooklyn  beauty,  as  Miss  Richards 
was  designated,  together  with  the  attention  she  was  receiving 
from  the  handsome  English  lord,  formed  the  principal  theme 
of  conversation  at  the  fashionable  watering-place. 

Mrs.  Richards  was  in  her  element,  and  conducted  herself 
remarkably  well. 

His  lordship  considered  her  a  woman  of  very  fine  appear 
ance  and  of  wonderful  tact ;  and  it  was  noticeable  that  when 
he  was  in  her  presence  he  paid  her  full  as  much  homage  as  he 


THE    CAMEO    RING.  1 15 

did  her  daughter ;  but  people  of  course  said  this  Was  all  for  a 
particular  purpose. 

"By  the  way,"  she  said  to  him,  one  day,  when  they  were 
comparing  the  merits  of  their  respective  countries,  "I  am  more 
than  half  English  myself.  The  late  Lady  Thornton,  of  Hallo- 
well  Park,  Devonshire,  was  an  aunt  of  mine — at  least,  my 
mother  was  her  half-sister — and  I  have  other  distant  relatives 
living  in  the  same  county." 

"Indeed  !"  said  Lord  Carrol,  his  face  lighting  at  this  intelli 
gence.  "I  had  no  idea  that  you  had  any  English  blood  in 
your  veins;  I  thought  you  were  purely  American.  I  have  often 
heard  my  father  speak  of  Sir  William  Thornton,  of  Devonshire, 
and  his  son,  Sir  Charles,  was  at  Oxford  with  me.  I  was  only 
slightly  acquainted  with  him,  however,  as  he  took  his  degree  a 
year  before  I  took  mine.  I  am  very  happy  to  learn  of  this 
feet,"  and,  as  if  by  some  fascination,  the  young  nobleman's 
glance  sought  Josephine  as  he  spoke. 

"  I  once  visited  at  Hallo  well  Park  when  I  was  a  young  girl," 
Mrs.  i-'ichards  continued,  although  a  flush  arose  to  her  cheek 
as  she  remembered  all  that  had  transpired  during  that  visit,  for 
it  was  then  that  Star's  mother  had  saved  her  from  drowning. 
"It  is  a  lovely  place,  and  a  very  large  estate,  I  believe." 

"So  I  have  been  told.  Sir  William  was  quite  an  active  states 
man  before  his  death,  which  occurred  only  a  year  after  his  wife's. 
They  had  only  one  child,  Sir  Charles,  I  believe." 

"  Has  he  a  family?"  Mrs.  Richards  asked,  quickly. 

"I  think  not — at  least,  I  have  never  heard  of  his  marriage. 
If  he  should  die  without  issue,  I  suppose  the  estate  would  pass 
into  other  hands." 

Mrs.  Richards  started,  and  gave  the  young  man  a  quick 
glance  at  this. 

"Whose,  I  wonder?"  she  said,  reflectively,  and  suddenly 
seemed  to  lose  all  interest  in  the  conversation,  and  the  young 
lord  turned  his  attention  to  the  more  appreciative  Josephine. 


Il6  THE    CAMEO    RING. 

The  month  which  the  Richardses  spent  at  Long  Branch  was 
an  eventful  one  ;  it  was  the  most  brilliant  season  that  Josephine 
had  ever  known. 

She  had  several  offers  of  marriage,  but  refused  them  all,  for 
her  heart  was  set  on  becoming  Lady  Carrol,  and  going  to  shine 
among  the  nobility  of  England, 

When  the  time  drew  near  for  their  departure,  her  heart  beat 
high  with  hope ;  for  Lord  Carrol  had  lingered  beyond  the  time 
he  had  intended  to  spend  there,  and  she  flattered  herself  that 
she  was  the  cause  of  it. 

He  certainly  had  shown  her  considerable  attention,  and  it 
was  rumored  that  there  would  be  an  engagement. 

He  appeared  to  enjoy  the  society  of  both  ladies,  and  although 
he  had  not  committed  himself  in  any  way,  he  had  accepted  an 
invitation  to  visit  them  at  their  country-seat  the  second  week  in 
October,  and  both  Josephine  and  her  mother  were  hoping  much 
from  that  event. 

The  last  evening  of  their  sojourn  at  Long  Branch,  Miss 
Richards  descended  to  the  veranda  of  the  hotel,  dressed  with 
the  utmost  care  and  taste. 

Her  robe  was  of  creamy  white  silk,  with  an  overdress  of  filmy 
black  lace,  looped  with  crimson  fuchsias.  There  were  diamonds 
in  her  ears,  her  hair,  and  clasped  about  her  neck  and  arms; 
but  they  were  not  brighter  than  her  midnight  eyes,  which 
glowed  with  hope  and  love,  while  her  smiling  lips  vied  with  the 
flowers  which  she  wore. 

She  was  brilliantly,  dazzlingly  beautiful. 

The  men  watched  her  every/  movement  with  admiring  glances; 
the  women  could  but  acknowledge  her  superior  charms,  yet 
with  something  of  a  feeling  of  envy  on  account  of  the  prize 
they  believed  she  was  about  to  bear  away  with  her. 

Lord  Carrol  seemed  drawn  to  her  as  the  needle  to  the  pole. 
He  had  been  sitting  at  one  end  of  the  veranda  when  she  came 
down,  but  he  almost  immediately  arose  and  went  to  her  side, 


THE    CAMEO    RING. 


117 


while  he  would  not  have  been  human  not  to  have  betrayed  his 
appreciation  of  the  exquisite  toilet,  which  seemed  to  enhance 
her  beauty  more  than  ever. 

She  was  conscious  of  looking  her  best,  and  this  made  her 
appear  to  better  advantage — for  who  does  not  feel  more  at  ease 
and  self-possessed  when  conscious  of  looking  well? — while  there 
was  an  unusual  gentleness,  almost  sadness,  in  her  manner,  as 
if  something  foreshadowed  that  something  was  slipping  out  of 
her  life  to-night — something  which  would  change  and  darken 
her  whole  future,  unless  the  man  whom  she  had  grown  to 
worship  should  lay  at  her  feet  homage  equal  to  that  which  she 
had  given  to  him. 

' '  What  will  the  devotees  at  beauty's  shrine  do  to-morrow, 
Miss  Richards?"  the  young  lord  asked,  with  a  smile  and  a 
glance  which  told  her  what  she  knew  already — that  she  was 
particularly  attractive  to-night 

"The  Rowland  House  possesses  a  galaxy  of  beauties,  and  I 
do  not  think  there  will  be  any  occasion  for  the  'devotees,'  as 
you  call  them,  to  neglect  their  duty  to-morrow,"  she  answered, 
smiling  too,  but  with  heightened  color. 

' '  Ah  !  but  it  is  plainly  to  be  seen  where  they  have  bent  the 
knee  most  devoutly,"  he  replied,  with  a  gesture  which  called 
her  attention  to  the  many  admiring  eyes  fixed  upon  her. 

She  shrugged  her  graceful  shoulders  with  an  air  of  impatience, 
as  if  annoyed  to  find  herself  so  conspicuous,  while  her  darkly 
fringed  lids  drooped  over  her  glorious  eyes,  hiding  the  wistful 
look  which  had  suddenly  crept  into  them. 

"The  night  is  lovely,  and  the  band  is  playing  delightfully; 
let  us  go  out  and  wander  about  the  grounds  for  a  little  while," 
Lord  Carrol  said,  after  a  moment  of  silence,  during  which 
sweet,  enticing  strains  came  floating  toward  them  on  the  even 
ing  air. 

She  took  the  arm  he  offered  her,  her  heart  throbbing  so 
wildly  that  she  feared  he  would  detect  it,  and  they  passed  down 


ng  THE    CAMEO    RING. 

the  steps  and  away  from  the  crowd  on  the  veranda,  some  of 
whom  smiled  to  hide  their  envy,  others  indulgently,  as  if  upon 
a  pair  of  lovers. 

"I  suppose  this  will  be  our  last  night  in  this  charming  place," 
the  young  man  said,  as  they  slowly  wended  their  way  along  a 
sheltered  avenue. 

She  looked  up  with  a  slight  start  at  the  word  "our."  He 
noticed  it,  and  smiled. 

"I  said  'our,' because  I,  too,  shall  leave  on  the  afternoon 
express  to-morrow.  I  have  business  in  New  York  which  will 
occupy  me  for  a  week  or  more." 

Josephine  flushed  with  pleasure  at  this,  for  she  felt  sure  that 
the  "business"  was  only  a  pretext.  Her  vanity  led  her  to  be 
lieve  that  Long  Branch  would  be  nothing  to  him  without  her 
companionship,  and  that  he  would  go  to  New  York  merely  to 
pass  the  interval  of  time  which  would  elapse  before  he  would 
go  to  Yonkers  to  spend  the  promised  week  with  them. 

"Oh  !"  she  thought,  "if  he  would  but  speak  a  single  word 
to  commit  himself  that  night,  she  could  go  away  in  the  morn 
ing  with  a  light  and  happy  heart. " 

But  he  had  never  hinted  of  love  fcr  her;  he  had  accom 
panied  her  and  her  mother  almost  everywhere  they  had  been, 
often  showing  Mrs.  Richards  more  attention  than  herself.  He 
had  danced  with  her,  rode  with  her,  walked  with  her,  and  no 
word  beyond  the  most  commonplace  expressions  of  friendship 
had  ever  fallen  from  his  lips. 

Sometimes  she  had  thought  that  he  was  drawn  to  them  more 
than  to  any  one  else  simply  because  he  had  discovered  them  to 
be  of  English  extraction,  and  felt  more  freedom  and  more  in 
sympathy  with  them  on  that  account. 

But  she  knew,  too,  that  he  admired  her  for  her  beauty,  and 
she  certainly  had  exerted  herself  more  than  she  had  ever  done 
in  her  life  before  to  be  not  only  entertaining,  but  gentle,  and 


THE    CAMEO    RING.  H9 

winning,  and  womanly,  and  she  kept  hoping  that  a  crisis  would 
come  before  they  left  for  home. 

They  wandered  on  and  on,  the  moonlight  streaming  upon 
them  through  the  overarching  branches  of  the  trees,  and  making 
lace-like  patterns  upon  the  smoothly  graveled  walk  at  their  feet, 
and  he  talked  only  of  yesterday's  boating,  yesterday's  racing — 
of  anything  save  what  her  heart  was  craving  to  hear. 

The  band  played  its  softest,  sweetest  strains ;  the  leaves  rustled 
whisperingly  above  their  heads,  suggestive  of  lovers'  vows ;  they 
were  almost  alone  in  the  beautiful,  moonlighted  avenue,  and 
everything  was  conducive  to  love-making,  if  his  lordship  had 
only  been  so  inclined. 

Soon  they  came  out  by  a  fountain  where  the  lights  were 
shining  brilliantly,  and  he  led  her  to  a  rustic  seat,  placed  her 
in  it,  and  sat  down  beside  her. 

"I  shall  be  very  sorry  to  go,"  Josephine  said,  with  a  pensive 
sigh,  as  she  looked  around  on  the  lovely  scene;  "it  has  been 
very  pleasant  here  this  summer." 

"It  has,  indeed,  and  I  shall  carry  the  memory  of  it  with  me 
for  a  long  while,"  her  companion  replied.  "You  have  some 
very  beautiful  places  of  resort  in  your  country,  Miss  Richards. 
You  and  your  mother  have  made  my  sojourn  at  Long  Bravch 
more  than  pleasant.  Since  learning  that  you  have  Enghsn 
blood  in  your  veins,  I  have  grown  to  regard  you  almost  as  my 
own  people;  and  sometimes,"  he  added,  smiling,  "I  have  felt 
as  if  I  might  be  intruding  myself  too  much  upon  you  ;  but  I 
trust  I  shall  be  able  to  return  some  of  your  kindness  when  you 
come  to  England. " 

Josephine's  heart  sank  like  lead  in  her  bosom. 

These  were  surely  very  commonplace  words  to  speak  to  her 
on  the  eve  of  her  departure,  if  he  entertained  anything  of  affec 
tion  for  her. 

"It  would  be  a  great  delight  to  me  to  visit  England, "  she 
returned;  "and  you  have  told  me  so  much  about  your  beauti- 


120  TRR    CASIBO    RING. 

ful  home — your  mother  and  sister — that  I  have  a  great  desire  to 
see  both  it  and  them." 

"You  must  come  to  Cheshire  Park — my  mother's  and  sister's 
home.  Next  year  I  shall  hope  to  show  it  to  you,"  he  said, 
earnestly. 

Did  he  mean  that  he  hoped  she  would  go  there  with  him,  or 
was  it  merely  a  wish  that  she  would  visit  England,  that  he  might 
be  able  to  return  some  of  the  courtesies  which  she  and  her 
mother  had  shown  him  ? 

She  could  not  tell,  but  hope  seemed  deserting  her;  her 
heart  beat  heavily,  she  grew  pale  and  sad,  and  a  slight  shiver 
shook  her. 

He  noticed  it. 

' '  You  are  taking  cold,  I  fear ;  we  ought  not  to  sit  here  in 
this  evening  air." 

"No,  I  am  not  taking  cold;  I  will  tie  my  handkerchief 
around  my  throat,  however, "  she  answered. 

It  was  so  pleasant  sitting  there  beside  him,  so  pleasant  to 
listen  to  his  rich,  deep  voice  and  look  into  his  clear  brown 
eyes,  that  she  could  not  bear  to  think  of  going  back  to  the 
hotel  just  yet. 

ae  tied  her  handkerchief  about  her  white  throat,  and  as  she 
did  so,  the  light  struck  full  upon  a  ring  which  he  had  not  seen 
her  wear  before. 

It  was  a  lovely  cameo,  very  delicately  cut.  It  was  Star's  little 
treasure,  the  gift  of  Archibald  Sherbrooke. 

"Pardon  me,"  Lord  Carrol  said,  with  a  slight  start  as  he 
observed  it,  "but  you  have  a  ring  on  your  hand  that  I  have 
never  seen  you  wear  before.  It  is  very  lovely.  May  I  examine 
it  more  closely?" 

Josephine  unhesitatingly  laid  her  hand  on  his  palm,  her  whole 
body  thrilling  as  his  ringers  closed  over  it,  and  he  bent  his 
proud  head  to  examine  the  ring. 

She  had  had  poor  Star's  pin  made  into  this  ring,  which  she 


'  THE    CAMEO    RING.  Hi 

had  worn  a  few  times,  and  then  tiring  of  it,  had  thrown  it  into 
her  jewel-box,  where  it  had  lain  unheeded  until  to-night,  when 
a  sudden  whim  had  caused  her  to  put  it  on. 

"It  is  a  very  finely  carved  cameo,"  he  said,  after  a  few  mo 
ments,  during  which  he  had  regarded  it  intently.  "I  once  saw 
one  so  nearly  like  it  that  I  do  not  think  I  could  distinguish  it 
from  this.  It  belonged  to — to  a  friend  of  mine,  although  that 
was  in  the  form  of  a  pin." 

' '  Was  your  friend  a  lady  or  gentleman  ?''  Josephine  asked, 
quickly,  and  not  giving  herself  time  to  realize  that  she  was 
betraying  undue  curiosity. 

"A  gentleman,"  he  returned,  briefly. 

"It  is  a  pretty  trifle  which  was  given  to  me  by  a  relative," 
Josephine  said,  without  even  wincing  at  the  lie,  yet  feeling  guilty 
and  uncomfortable  to  have  the  stone  recognized. 

"It  is  evidently  quite  a  valuable  cameo,"  Lord  Carrol  re 
turned,  thoughtfully,  "and  the  person  of  whom  I  spoke  prized 
the  one  he  had  very  highly,  for  he  is  something  of  an  artist, 
and  had  it  carved  in  Italy  after  a  design  which  he  made 
himself." 

' '  Indeed !  Is  your  artist  an  Englishman  ?"  Miss  Richards 
asked,  with  downcast  eyes,  and  more  interested  in  this  matter 
than  she  cared  to  appear. 

"  Yes ;  and  his  name  is  Sherbrooke — Archibald  Sherbrooke, " 
Lord  Carrol  replied,  while  he  regarded  her  intently. 

Josephine  started,  and  the  color  flamed  into  her  face. 

Archibald  Sherbrookc ! 

The  name  smote  her  unpleasantly,  for  she  remembered  those 
two  initials,  "A.  S.,"  which  were  marked  on  the  back  of  the 
setting  of  the  cameo,  and  having  two  tiny  strawberry  leaves 
engraved  underneath. 

Could  it  be  possible  that  Star — the  despised  girl  at  Yonkers — 
knew  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  the  friend  of  Lord  Carrol,  and  that 
he  had  given  this  elegant  cameo  to  her? 


Sia  THE    CAMEO    RING. 

She  remembered  how,  when  she  had  asked  her  to  give  it  to 
her,  Star's  lips  had  trembled  as  she  said  "it  was  the  gift  of  a 
friend  and  she  did  not  like  to  part  with  it;"  but  she  never 
imagined  that  the  associate  of  a  peer  would  take  interest  enough 
in  a  girl  occupying  the  position  she  occupied  to  give  her  so 
costly  an  ornament  as  this. 

The  thought  was  not  a  pleasant  one,  or  it  told  her  that  if 
such  was  the  case,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  it,  that  Star 
was  known  and  appreciated  by  one  whom  this  English  lord 
held  in  high  esteem. 

She  would  have  liked  to  question  him  more  about  this 
"  friend"  of  his,  but  did  not  wish  to  betray  too  much  curiosity 
lest  he  should  mistrust  that  she  had  the  identical  stone  which 
he  referred  to,  and  should  in  turn  ask  unpleasant  questions 
of  her. 

She  therefore  changed  the  subject  as  quickly  as  possible, 
hoping  to  win  him  to  a  mood  more  congenial  with  her  own 
feelings  and  desires. 

But  her  efforts  proved  unavailing,  for  his  lordship  had  sud 
denly  become  thoughtful  and  taciturn;  and  Miss  Richards  at 
last,  berating  herself  soundly  for  having  worn  that  unlucky  ring 
that  evening,  signified  her  desire  to  return  to  the  hotel. 

Mrs.  Richards  had  watched  them  saunter  from  the  veranda 
in  a  flutter  of  anticipation,  hoping  that  the  all-important  mo 
ment  had  at  last  arrived. 

But  one  glance  at  her  daughter's  face  when  they  came  back 
told  her  that  the  much  wished  for  crisis  had  not  arrived,  and 
she  felt  deeply  disappointed. 

"Good-night  and  good-by !"  Josephine  said,  holding  out  her 
white  hand  to  her  companion  as  they  entered  the  hotel.  She 
could  not  trust  herself  longer  in  his  society,  lest  she  should 
betray  something  of  her  disappointment  and  ill-nature.  "I 
must  say  my  farewell  now,  I  suppose,  since  we  are  to  leave  by 
the  early  train  to-morro'v." 


THE    CAMEO    RING. 


1*3 


"It  is  always  hard  to  say  farewell  to  our  friends,"  Lord  Carrol 
answered,  smiling  as  he  took  her  extended  hand.  "However, 
I  can  say  it  with  a  better  grace  now  than  if  it  was  to  be  a  final 
one.  But  are  you  going  to  leave  us  so  soon  ?  There  is  a  gay 
company  in  the  dancing-hall,  and  I  fear  many  will  be  disap 
pointed  if  you  flit  so  early." 

"Yes,  I  am  going  up  to  my  room,"  she  answered,  wearily; 
and  he  noticed  that  she  had  grown  very  pale  and  was  shivering. 

"I  am  really  afraid  you  have  taken  cold;  you  look  ill,  and  I 
fear  I  kept  you  out  too  long,"  he  said,  anxiously. 

"No,"  she  returned,  brightening  a  trifle  as  she  saw  how 
troubled  he  was  on  her  account.  "I  have  not  taken  cold,  but 
I  do  not  feel  like  dancing  to-night,  so  I  will  retire.  Good-by 
for  a  week. " 

"  Yes,  for  one  week  ;  then  I  shall  see  you  in  your  own  home 
at  Yonkers,"  Lord  Carrol  said;  and  just  then  Mrs.  Richards 
approached  them. 

"  How  is  it  that  you  two  young  people  are  not  in  the  ball 
room  ?"  she  said,  brightly. 

"I  am  taking  leave  of  Miss  Richards,  who  thinks  of  retiring, 
as  she  says  you  leave  on  the  early  train, "  explained  his  lordship. 

"What  is  the  trouble,  Josie — are  you  not  well?"  the  elder 
lady  asked,  with  maternal  solicitude. 

"Yes;  but  I  do  not  wish  to  dance  to-night,  so  I  am  going 
np  stairs. " 

"Then  I'll  go  with  you,  for  I  have  not  quite  finished  packing. 
Well,  my  lord,"  she  added,  turning  cheerily  to  him  and  giving 
Mm  her  hand,  "I  trust  you  will  spend  the  coming  week  pleas 
antly,  and  then  we  shall  expect  to  see  you  again." 

"Thanks.  Shall  I  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  Richards 
then  ?  Will  he  have  returned  by  that  time  ?"  the  young  man 
asked. 

"Yes;  he  returns  next  week,"  Mrs.  Richards  answered,  a 
new  idea  striking  her. 


124 


A    GLAD    MEETING. 


Probably  he  wished  <x>  consult  formally  with  her  husband 
before  proposing  to  Josephine;  the  English,  she  knew,  were 
very  punctilious  regarding  such  matters. 

Yes,  she  was  confident,  now  she  thought  of  it,  that  was  why 
he  had  not  come  to  the  point  to-night. 

So,  after  a  few  more  cordially  spoken  regrets,  good  wishes, 
and  so  forth,  they  left  him  and  sought  their  rooms. 

Lord  Carrol  turned  and  went  out  into  the  grounds  again,  his 
face  grown  very  grave  and  thoughtful. 

"  I  never  would  have  believed  it.  I  do  not  understand  it  at 
all,"  he  muttered  to  himself. 

But  what  he  did  not  understand  or  could  not  believe,  the 
future  must  develop. 

The  next  morning  Mrs.  Richards  and  her  daughter  left  for 
Yonkers,  and  the  same  afternoon  Lord  Carrol  was  en  route  for 
New  York  city. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A     GLAD     MEETING. 

Back  and  forth  every  day  from  Yonkers,  patiently  and  un 
complainingly,  went  Star  Gladstone  to  her  school,  glad  to  pur 
sue  her  studies  and  music  at  any  cost  or  sacrifice. 

This  occupied  nine  long  hours  of  five  days  in  the  week,  and, 
weary  as  she  was  upon  her  return,  she  always  devoted  what  time 
she  could  to  the  white-haired  old  gentleman  who  watched  her 
depart  with  a  sigh,  waited  eagerly  for  her  return,  and  who 
brightened  so  visibly  when  she  appeared. 

One  day,  after  school,  Star  had  an  errand  at  a  music  store, 


A    GLAD    MEETING.  r*5 

and  was  detained  so  long  by  the  slow  movement  of  the  clerk 
who  waited  upon  her,  that  she  was  obliged  to  hurry  with  all  her 
strength  to  catch  her  train. 

She  entered  the  station  breathless,  just  as  the  last  bell  rang 
and  the  cars  began  to  move. 

Hoping  to  overtake  it  even  then,  she  ran  for  it,  her  small  feet 
barely  touching  the  ground  as  she  sped  over  it.  She  reached 
the  last  car,  put  forth  her  hand  to  lay  hold  upon  the  railing 
and  spring  upon  the  steps,  when  a  firm  grasp  upon  her  arms 
from  behind  rendered  her  efforts  fruitless,  and  a  deep,  rich 
voice  said : 

' '  Young  lady,  pardon  me  the  liberty  I  take,  but  that  is  a 
very  dangerous  experiment. " 

The  train  was  gone.  Mr.  Rosevelt  would  look  for  her  in 
vain  when  it  came  in,  but  Star  could  not  regret  it,  although  she 
had  exerted  every  nerve  to  catch  it,  for  she  would  know  that 
voice  no  matter  where  she  heard  it ;  and,  with  a  vivid  flush  leap 
ing  to  her  cheeks,  her  pulses  thrilling  with  excitement  and 
delight,  she  turned  quickly  to  find  herself  face  to  face  with  her 
whilom  compagnon  de  voyage — Archibald  Sherbrooke ! 

His  face  lighted  brilliantly  in  an  instant  as  he  recognized  her, 
for  although  she  had  changed  somewhat  during  the  past  year, 
growing  lovelier  than  ever,  he  had  never  forgotten  those  star- 
like  eyes,  those  waves  of  soft,  golden  hair  shading  her  forehead, 
nor  that  sweetly  smiling,  scarlet  mouth. 

"Miss  Gladstone!"  he  cried,  putting  out  his  hand  to  her. 
"I  had  no  idea  whom  I  was  saving  from  committing  such  an 
act  of  imprudence  when  I  saw  you  about  to  leap  upon  that 
moving  train  ;  but  I  am  doubly  glad  now  that  my  presumption 
prevented  you  from  doing  anything  so  rash,  and  gave  me  this 
unexpected  pleasure." 

' '  I  am  glad,  too,  for  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  again,  Mr. 
Sherbrooke,"  Star  said,  heartily  and  frankly,  as  she  gave  hitii 


126  A    GLAD    MEETING. 

her  neatly  gloved  hand,  and  looking  straight  up  into  his  hand 
some  eyes  in  a  way  that  testified  to  the  sincerity  of  her  words, 

"I  know  it  was  imprudent  to  try  to  leap  upon  a  moving 
train,"  she  continued  ;  <(  but  there  is  some  one  at  home  who  is 
always  disappointed  if  I  do  not  return  at  a  certain  hour,  and  so 
I  was  anxious  to  catch  it.  However,  another  leaves  in  a  half- 
hour  ;  and,  indeed,  I  am  very  glad  to  have  met  you. " 

How  lady-like  she  was !  With  what  perfect  self-possession 
and  grace  she  greeted  him,  notwithstanding  her  sparkling  eyes 
and  the  flush  which  had  leaped  to  her  cheek  told  of  inward 
excitement. 

She  was  the  same,  and  yet  not  the  same ;  she  had  developed 
wonderfully  since  that  morning  when  he  had  parted  from  her 
on  the  steamer. 

Her  hair  was  still  of  the  same  beautiful  golden  hue  as  the  lock 
which  she  had  severed  for  him,  and  which  he  still  treasured; 
her  eyes  were  the  same  heavenly  blue,  her  smile  as  bright  and 
sweet,  but  there  was  an  added,  indescribable  charm  about  her 
that  made  her  tenfold  more  lovely  in  his  sight. 

"Thank  you,"  he  said,  in  reply  to  her  hearty  greeting ;  "and 
now,  if  you  have  only  half  an  hour  before  another  train  goes, 
let  us  make  the  most  of  it,  and  find  a  seat  in  the  waiting-r©om 
where  we  can  compare  notes  on  the  last  ten  months." 

He  led  the  way  to  the  ladies'  room,  found  a  comfortable  chair 
in  a  corner  for  her  where  they  could  talk  undisturbed,  and  the 
half  hour  slipped  by  before  they  had  any  idea  that  it  was  lime 
for  Star  to  go. 

"There  is  my  train,"  she  said,  suddenly  starting  up  as  the 
first  bell  rang;  "  I  must  not  miss  this  one,  or  Mr.  Rosevelt  will 
surely  think  something  dreadful  has  happened  to  me." 

"Mr.  Rosevelt!"  repeated  young  Sherbrooke,  in  surprise. 

"Yes;  is  it  not  singular?  We  met  as  strangers  on  board  the 
steamer,  and,  after  all,  we  were  coming  to  be  inmates  of  the 
same  house  and  did  not  know  it." 


A     GLAD    MEETING. 

"Yes,  it  is  strange.  He  was  a  fine-appearing  old  gentle 
man.  I  trust  that  he  has  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  ex 
posure  at  sea. " 

"Not  entirely,  and  I  fear  he  never  will,"  Star  answered,  with 
a  sigh.  "  His  health  is  not  very  good,  and  his  eyes  trouble  him 
exceedingly  at  times  They  were  injured  by  the  reflection  of 
the  glaring  sun  in  the  water  while  we  were  in  that  open  boat 
We  are  excellent  friends,  and  he  watches  anxiously  for  my 
return  every  day." 

"Do  you  come  to  New  York  every  day?"  her  companion 
questioned. 

"Yes;  I  am  attending  a  seminary  in  Brooklyn,  and  for  the 
present  go  back  and  forth  every  day.  But  see. "she  added, 
pointing  to  the  clock;  "there  is  only  one  minute  more,  and  I 
must  find  a  seat" 

He  assisted  her  to  enter  and  conducted  her  to  a  seat ;  then, 
extending  his  hand,  he  said,  smiling  : 

"  If  you  come  to  the  city  every  day,  I  shall  hope  to  see  you 
again. " 

The  ever  ready  color  leaped  to  her  cheeks  again,  more  at  the 
look  he  gave  her  than  at  his  words. 

She  was  upon  the  point  of  giving  him  her  address  and  ask 
ing  him  to  come  out  to  Yonkers  to  see  her  and  Mr.  Rosevelt, 
but  the  train  started,  and  she  was  obliged  to  leave  her  invitation 
unspoken. 

He  had  only  time  to  lift  his  hat,  dart  away  and  leap  upon 
the  platform,  before  the  train  was  under  way. 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  not  only  hoped  to  see  her  again,  he  did 
see  her  many  times  after  that,  for  he  contrived  to  be  at  the 
station  on  some  pretext  or  other,  or  overtake  her  on  the  way 
thither,  every  day  for  nearly  a  week,  and  he  was  always  greeted 
with  a  glad  look  and  smile.  Every  day  she  grew  more  beautiful 
in  his  sight;  every  day  his  eyes  told  her  so,  and  these  chance  (?) 
meetings  grew  very  sweet  to  them  both. 


!2g    •  A    GLAD    MEETING. 

"You  must  come  out  to  Yonkers,  some  day,  and  see  Mr. 
Rosevelt,"  Star  said,  upon  one  of  these  occasions. 

"There,  I  declare,  we  have  found  so  much  else  to  talk 
about,  that  I  have  not  even  told  you  where  I  live,"  she  said, 
laughing. 

"And  I  am  invited  out  to  see  Mr.  Rosevelt,  am  I?"  he  asked, 
with  a  twinkle  of  mischief  in  his  fine  eyes. 

"Yes,"  Star  returned,  demurely.  "I  know  he  will  be  very 
much  pleased  to  see  you — indeed,  he  said  so  when  I  told  him 
of  our  meeting.  He  remembers  how  good  to  him  you  were 
after  his  rescue." 

"Thanks.  Then  I  shall  certainly  avail  myself  of  your  in 
vitation,  and  go  out  to  see  Mr.  Rosevelt  some  day  very  soon," 
he  said,  with  a  grave  bow;  but  his  eyes  told  her  that  she  would 
be  the  star  to  attract  him  thither. 

"You  say  he  remembers  what  transpired  on  the  steamer. 
Do  you  remember,  too,  Miss  Star,  how  you  told  me  at  parting 
that  I  should  always  be  your  friend — that  you  would  never 
forget  me?" 

Star's  glorious  eyes  drooped,  and  the  quick  color  rushing 
upward,  stained  all  her  fair  face  to  those  soft  yellow  curls  on 
her  forehead. 

"I  have  not  forgotten,"  she  murmured,  softly. 

"Neither  have  I,  as  perhaps  this  will  prove  to  you,"  said  the 
young  man,  lifting  a  tiny  locket  which  hung  from  his  watch- 
chain,  and,  touching  a  spring,  held  it  up  before  her. 

It  contained  nothing  save  a  tress  of  shining  hair,  and  Star 
knew  in  an  instant  to  whom  it  had  once  belonged. 

Like  a  flash  she  remembered  the  cameo  that  he  had  given 
her  as  a  souvenir,  and  a  choking  sensation  came  into  her 
throat 

She  knew  by  the  way  he  was  looking  at  her — by  the  way 
he  had  asked  her  if  she  "remembered" — that  he  was  wonder- 


A    GLAD    MEETING. 

ing  if  she  had  kept  his  gift  as  he  had  treasured  that  lock  of 
silken  hair. 

There  was  not  a  piece  of  jewelry  about  her  person,  and  he 
had  remarked  that  fact  the  first  time  he  met  her  there  at  the 
station. 

Every  article  of  her  toilet  was  as  dainty  as  it  was  possible  to 
make  it  with  her  limited  resources,  and  she  looked  every  inch 
a  lady ;  but  it  was  not  usual  in  those  days  to  see  a  young  girl 
of  her  age  without  the  glitter  of  gold  or  tinsel  somewhere 
about  her. 

"You  have  kept  it  all  this  time,"  she  said,  scarce  knowing 
what  to  say  from  embarrassment,  while  she  wondered  what  she 
ought  to  tell  him  about  the  cameo. 

"Certainly  I  have  kept  it  all  this  time.  I  urged  you  to  give 
it  to  me,  and  you  do  not  suppose  I  was  going  to  cast  it  lightly 
aside,  do  you?" 

"Perhaps  not,"  she  answered,  with  downcast  eyes;  "but  I 
hardly  thought  you  would  keep  it  in — in  such  a  way;  and — oh ! 
Mr.  Sherbrooke,  I  have  lost  that  lovely  little  cameo  that  you 
gave  to  me." 

She  looked  up  at  him  now,  and  he  noted  the  troubled,  even 
pained  expression  that  was  in  her  eyes. 

"Lost  it!"  he  repeated;  and  although  he  did  not  intend  it, 
his  face  clouded,  whether  from  disappointment  or  some  other 
feeling  she  could  not  tell. 

She  could  not  bear  that  he  should  know  how  she  had  l^t  it, 
and  she  felt  that  she  was  guilty  of  no  untruth  when  she  ex 
plained  its  absence  thus, 

"Yes,"  she  returned.  "Please  do  not  think  that  I  did  not 
prize  it,  for  I  did  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  and  I  hope  even  yet 
to  be  able  to  recover  it. " 

He  did  not  reply,  but  his  face  had  grown  grave,  almost 
severe,  and  she  imagined  there  was  something  of  constraint  in 
his  manner  at  parting  with  her. 


130 


A     GLAD    MEETING. 


She  felt  that  he  was  hurt  by  her  seeming  carelessness  or  in< 
difference  for  his  costly  little  gift,  and  bitter  tears  kept  welling 
to  her  eyes  all  the  way  home. 

"  I  will  have  it  again.  I  will  go  to  Josephine  and  demand 
it.  She  has  no  right  to  it,  for  it  is  mine ;  and  if  she  will  not 
give  it  to  me,  I  will  appeal  to  Mr.  Richards,"  she  said,  indig 
nantly,  to  herself. 

"I  could  not  bear  to  tell  him  how  I  lost  it,"  she  thought, 
with  rising  color.  "  I  do  not  wish  him  to  know  how  I  have 
been  treated  by  my  mother's  relatives,  or  how  bitterly  I  have 
been  disappointed  in  my  hopes  since  coming  to  this  country. 
But,"  she  added,  with  firmly  compressed  lips,  "it  will  not  be 
so  much  longer.  In  a  little  while  I  shall  be  independent  of 
them  all." 

She  little  imagined  how  soon  she  would  be  independent  of 
them,  or  how  it  would  be  achieved 

This  was  Thursday — she  had  first  met  young  Sherbrooke 
the  previous  Friday,  and  there  had  not  been  the  slightest  cloud 
to  mar  their  intercourse  until  now,  though  they  had  met 
almost  every  day — and  Star  went  home  feeling  somewhat  sad 
and  depressed. 

But  the  next  morning  her  sadness  disappeared  when  Mr. 
Rosevelt  told  her  that  he  was  feeling  so  strong  and  well  that  he 
would  like  a  change,  and  he  proposed  to  go  to  New  York  and 
call  upon  their  young  friend. 

He  had  given  Star  his  address,  and  when  she  left  for  school 
on  Friday  morning,  it  was  arranged  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  should 
go  to  town  that  afternoon  and  she  would  meet  him  at  Mr.  Sher- 
brooke's  studio  after  school  and  they  would  return  together. 

It  seemed,  however,  as  if  everything  went  wrong  for  our 
young  friend  that  day.  Her  mind,  usually  so  keen  and  active, 
refused  to  work  with  its  accustomed  vigor,  and  she  was  listless 
and  almost  inattentive,  much  to  the  surprise  of  Professor  Roberts 
and  her  other  teachers. 


A    GLAD    MEETING.  131 

Her  thoughts  were  playing  truant,  and  half  the  time  were  far 
away  in  that  artist  studio  where  Mr.  Rosevelt  was  visiting. 

When  the  hour  came  for  her  to  join  them,  all  her  listlessness 
departed,  and  she  was  her  own  bright  self  once  more;  and 
when,  in  answer  to  her  gentle  knock  upon  his  door,  Archibald 
Sherbrooke  opened  it  to  admit  her,  he  thought  she  had  never 
seemed  so  lovely  before. 

He  had  begun  to  realize  that  the  feelings  with  which  he 
regarded  her  were  something  deeper  and  stronger  than  mere 
friendship  called  for — in  fact,  he  knew  that  he  loved  her  more 
dearly  than  any  other  object  on  earth,  and  that  his  /heart  had 
not  really  been  his  own,  if  the  truth  were  known,  since  that  day 
when  they  had  parted  on  the  steamer;  and  he  had  that  morn 
ing  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  time  should  not  be  far 
distant  when  he  should  tell  her  in  words  of  the  emotions  she 
had  awakened  in  his  heart. 

"This  is  a  pleasure  that  I  had  not  anticipated  until  about  an 
hour  ago,"  he  said,  with  a  brilliant  smile,  as  he  took  her  by  the 
hand  and  led  her  into  the  room,  where  she  found  Mr.  Rosevelt 
reclining  comfortably  in  a  luxurious  chair. 

"And  this,"  Star  said,  looking  around  her  with  a  long- 
drawn  breath  of  delight  as  she  noted  the  many  beautiful  paint 
ings  hanging  on  the  walls,  "is  a  pleasure  which  I  had  not 
anticipated. " 

"Ah!  then  it  is  my  work  which  shall  give  you  pleasure, 
rather  than  my  society,  as  I  had  presumed  to  flatter  myself,"  the 
young  man  said,  ruefully,  and  making  a  comical  grimace,  al 
though  his  eyes  were  looking  down  into  hers  with  an  expression 
which  made  her  tremble. 

She  laughed,  while  a  lovely  color  leaped  to  her  face.  But 
she  tried  to  hide  her  embarrassment  by  retorting,  archly : 

"I  suppose  I  must  be  polite,  and  affirm  that  I  expect  to 
enjoy  both ;  but  really,  Mr.  Sherbrooke,  although  I  knew  you 


132  A    GLAf)    MEETING. 

were  an  artist,  I  had  no  idea  that  you  painted  such  delightful 
things. " 

"You  give  me  more  credit  than  belongs  to  me,"  he  answered, 
smiling;  "but  wait  until  you  are  rested,  and  then  I  have  some 
thing  in  particular  to  show  you. " 

"Oh.  I  am  not  weary.  Let  me  look  now,  if  you  please; 
we  have  only  an  hour,  you  know ;''  and  she  began  to  move 
about  the  room,  examining  with  no  uncritical  eye  the  works 
upon  the  walls. 

The  young  artist  kept  by  her  side,  telling  her  the  subjects 
of  the  paintings,  and  relating  many  instances  connected  with 
them. 

At  length  they  came  to  a  corner  where  there  stood  an  easel, 
upon  which  there  was  a  picture  covered  with  a  green  cloth. 

Mr.  Sherbrooke  removed  the  covering,  simply  saying : 

"This  is  the  picture  that  I  particularly  wished  to  show  you." 

It  was  quite  a  large  painting,  and  represented  a  young  man 
and  maiden  standing  on  board  a  steamer,  while  silver-tipped 
waves  and  a  deep  blue  sky  formed  a  charming  background  for 
their  youthful  figures. 

The  former  stood  in  an  eager  attitude,  with  one  hand  ex 
tended,  a  smile  on  his  handsome  lips,  a  gleam  of  wistful  ad 
miration  in  his  honest  brown  eyes,  while  his  companion  seemed 
to  be  clipping  a  tress  from  a  massive  braid  of  shining  golden 
hair  that  hung  over  her  shoulders. 

The  fair  young  girl  was  a  faithful  representation  of  Star  as 
she  had  appeared  on  that  day,  which  they  both  remembered  so 
vividly,  and  in  the  act  of  severing  that  lock  at  his  request.  She 
stood  with  drooping  eyes,  a.  flush  on  her  cheek,  a  half-smile  on 
her  beautiful  scarlet  lips,  a  shy  and  modest  grace  in  her  pos 
ture,  while  her  slender  fingers  daintily  held  braid  and  scissors. 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  watched  her  as  she  gazed  upon  his 
picture,  his  heart  in  his  earnest  glance;  while  Star,  although 


A    GLAD    MEETING. 


'35 


her  eyes  were  riveted  as  if  fascinated  upon  the  familiar  scene, 
could  not  say  one  word  regarding  it. 

He  had  made  her  very,  very  lovely,  with  that  sheen  upon  her 
hair,  those  soft,  bright  curls  lying  low  upon  her  forehead,  which 
gleamed  beneath  them  like  purest  ivory;  with  those  half-averted 
eyes,  in  which  the  iris  was  just  discernible,  so  richly  blue, 

"       *       "  As  if  the  sky  let  fall 

A  flower  from  its  cerulean  wall ;" 

with  her  delicate  hands  in  their  pretty  act  showing  to  such 
advantage,  and  her  slight,  willowy  figure  so  gracefully  posed — 
so  lovely  that  she  could  not  help  the  conscious  blush  which 
mounted  to  her  temples,  nor  the  quick  heart-throbs  which 
stirred  the  lace  upon  her  bosom ;  for  something  whispered  to 
her  that  his  hand  had  lingered  fondly  upon  that  picture,  as  if 
over  a  work  that  he  had  loved. 

"What  do  you  think  of  my  work,  Miss  Gladstone?"  he 
asked,  gravely,  and  breaking  the  silence  which  was  becoming 
oppressive  to  him. 

"It — it  is  very — correct,  I  think,"  she  faltered,  with  averted 
eyes  and  deepening  color. 

An  anxious  gleam  shot  into  his  eyes  at  her  reply. 

"  Have  I  displeased  you  by  putting  it  on  canvas?"  he  asked, 
earnestly. 

' '  N-o, "  she  returned,  somewhat  hesitatingly. 

"I  fear  I  have,"  he  said,  still  more  gravely  than  before.  "Do 
not  hesitate  to  tell  me  if  you  are  offended,  and  I  will  obliterate 
it  with  one  sweep  of  my  brush. " 

His  eye  was  full  of  pain,  a  deep  flush  burned  on  his  cheek, 
while  there  was  a  thrill  in  his  low,  earnest  tone  that  set  her 
pulses  bounding  afresh. 

She  glanced  up  at  him,  smiling  slightly. 

"No,  I  am  not  offended,"  she  said;  "but  I'm  afraid  I  ap 
peared  very  foolish  that  day  to  offer  you  a  tress  of  my  yeliow 
hair." 


I £4  A    GLAD    MEETING. 

"  Have  I  made  the  picture  appear  so?"  he  asked,  quickly. 

"No;  you  have  made  it  altogether  too  beautiful,"  she  an 
swered,  earnestly,  and  then  was  covered  with  confusion  at  having 
admitted  so  much. 

"Thank  you,"  he  said,  brightly,  his  face  clearing.     "I  could 
not  do  that,  if  I  had  spent  twice  the  time  I  did  upon  it,  and  "- 
bending  nearer  to  her.  and  speaking  in  a  tender  tone — "  it  is  a 
picture  that  I  painted  for  myself  alone ;  no  one  has  ever  seen 
it  before,  and  I  shall  always  keep  it. " 

He  covered  it  carefully  with  the  cloth  again  as  he  ceased 
speaking. 

"These  are  not  nearly  all  my  work,"  he  said,  as  she  turned 
to  look  at  some  others;  "they  are  the  united  work  of  an  old 
artist,  'our  master,'  we  call  him,  and  of  three  of  my  friends — 
companion  artists.  We  have  been  traveling  together  during 
the  last  ten  months,  and  these  pictures  are  some  of  the  results 
of  our  pilgrimage.  We  are  to  return  now  in  a  couple  of 
months,  having  spent  our  year  in  America  both  pleasantly  and 
profitably,  I  trust.  We  had  to  make  our  headquarters  some 
where,  so  we  took  this  room  as  a  sort  of  studio,  and  thus  put 
ting  our  work  all  together,  we  manage  to  make  quite  a  respect 
able  display. " 

"I  am  glad  to  have  seen  these  pictures,"  Star  said,  "and  to 
know  they  are  all  the  work  of  my  countrymen.  I  wish,  how 
ever,  that  /was  going  back  to  England  in  a  month  or  two,"  she 
concluded,  with  a  sigh,  and  a  tear  springing  to  her  eye. 

"  Do  you  ?"  her  companion  asked,  eagerly.  "Then  you  have 
not  become  weaned  from  your  native  land  ?" 

"No,  indeed,"  she  said,  earnestly.  "I  love  it  as  dearly  as 
ever,  and  if  I  live  I  shall  go  back  some  day  to  my  home." 

The  young  man  bent  toward  her,  an  eager  light  in  his  eye ; 
his  lips  parted  as  if  he  were  about  to  speak,  but  Mr.  Rosevelt, 
from  the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  suddenly  addressed  some 
remark  to  him,  and  he  was  obliged  to  turn  his  attention  to  him. 


"LET   ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE." 


'35 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
"LET  ME  DEPICT  YOUR  FUTURE." 

Before  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star  left  him,  Mr.  Sherbrooke 
arranged  a  little  pleasure  trip  to  Coney  Island  for  the  follow 
ing  day. 

"I  suppose,  to-morrow  being  Saturday,  you  will  have  no 
school,  Miss  Gladstone,"  he  said,  with  an  appealing  look  at  her. 

"No;  but  I  have  a  music  lesson  at  nine,"  she  answered, 
doubtfully. 

"Could  you  not  arrange  to  postpone  it  for  once?" 

"  I  think  not ;  the  hour  is  engaged  for  me,  and  if  I  am  not 
there  I  lose  it.  I  should  hardly  like  to  do  that,  for  I  must 
make  the  most  of  my  time  this  year." 

Star  said  this  last  more  to  herself  than  in  reply  to  him.  She 
wanted  to  go — oh,  so  much  ! — and  yet  felt  that  she  ought  not 
to  lose  her  lesson. 

"Well,  an  hour  will  not  make  much  difference;  you  will  be 
through  by  ten.  It  will  not  be  too  late  for  our  excursion  then, 
and  that  will  give  us  the  best  part  of  the  day.  The  sail  will  be 
delightful,  and  we  will  come  home  by  moonlight.  I  speak  for 
to-morrow,  as  I  am  to  leave  New  York  next  week  for  awhile. 
I  think  you  will  go,  Miss  Star?"  Mr.  Sherbrooke  concluded, 
questioningly. 

"I  think  I  should  enjoy  the  trip  very  much,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
here  interposed.  "We'll  say  'go, 'little  girl,  for  we  have  had 
no  holiday  this  summer.  Yes,  yes,  Sherbrooke,  thank  you,  we 
will  accept  your  invitation,  and  Star  will,  I  think,  be  willing  to 
shorten  her  lesson  a  trifle,  so  that  we  shall  be  able  to  leave  the 
city  by  half-past  ten. " 


'3* 


"LET   ME    DEPICT    YOUR 


Yes,  Star  said  she  would  do  that ;  and  the  matter  once 
decided,  her  face  brightened  and  her  eyes  glowed  with  an 
ticipation. 

She  had  not  had  a  holiday  that  summer,  as  Mr.  Rosevelt 
said ;  indeed,  no  one  had  planned  a  day's  pleasure  for  hei 
before  since  she  came  to  America,  and  the  thought  of  this  little 
excursion  was  very  gratifying  to  her.  A  whole  day  spent  in  the 
company  of  Archibald  Sherbrooke  would  be  a  "red  letter  day" 
to  her;  and  so,  with  thrilling  pulses  and  bounding  heart,  she 
took  leave  of  him  and  went  away  with  Mr.  Rosevelt,  to  talk 
about  it,  to  dream  about  it,  and,  girl-like,  to  plan  how  to  make 
herself  as  charming  as  possible  for  the  occasion. 

As  for  Archibald  Sherbrooke  himself,  he  sat  down  after  his 
guests  had  departed,  and  allowed  his  thoughts  to  have  their 
own  way. 

"She  is  as  lovely  as  a  dream,"  he  murmured,  watching  her 
from  the  window  as  she  tripped  lightly  along  by  Mr.  Rosevelt's 
side.  "I  did  not  think  when  I  started  for  America  that  I  was 
coming  to  meet  my  fate ;  but  so  it  proves.  Unless  I  can  win 
Star  Gladstone's  love,  the  remainder  of  my  life  will  not  contain 
much  that  will  be  worth  living  for.  She  is  as  pure  as  a  lily, 
beautiful  as  a  veritable  star ;  and  yet  there  is  something  that  I 
cannot  quite  understand  about  her ;  there  is  a  reserve,  an  occa 
sional  sadness,  that  seems  strange  in  one  so  young,  while  once 
in  awhile  she  lets  fall  a  word  which  makes  me  fear  her  life  is 
not  as  bright  as  it  should  be.  There  is  something  of  a  mys 
tery,  too,  about  Mr.  Rosevelt.  How  sort  of  'seedy'  and 
neglected  he  looked  to-day,  and  I  judged,  when  I  met  him 
before,  that  he  was  a  man  of  abundant  means,  and  without  a 
care,  pecuniarily. 

' '  How  startled  my  fair  one  looked  when  I  showed  her  my 
picture,"  he  went  on,  with  a  luminous  smile;  "and  I  really 
believe  that  she  realized  something  of  the  tenderness  that  I  have 
put  into  it. " 


"LET   ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE." 


137 


He  arose  and  went  over  to  the  easel,  and  removing  the  cloth, 
stood  looking  at  the  lovely  girl  with  a  world  of  affection  in  his 
handsome  eyes. 

"  My  glory-crowned  Star,"  he  murmured,  "I  began  to  love 
yon  the  moment  that  you  fell  exhausted  into  my  arms  when 
you  were  rescued  from  the  hungry  jaws  of  death,  and  I  will 
spend  my  life  in  winning  you  if  need  be.  1  have  seen  no  other 
woman  your  equal  during  all  my  sojourn  in  America — at  least, 
no  one  who  has  so  moved  my  heart — and  I  know  of  no  one  in 
all  England  whom  I  should  care  to  win  foi  my  bride* 

"Star  Gladstone!  It  is  a.  name  symbolical  of  her  nature," 
he  said,  unconsciously  repeating  what  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  once 
told  her,  "or  I  am  no  adept  in  reading  character.  She.  will 
crown  my  life  with  light,  and  bring  gladness  and  beauty  into 
my  home,  if  I  can  win  her ;  and  I  think  I  am  not  mistaken  in 
believing  that  I  read  the  sequel  to  my  own  love-story  to-day  in 
her  blushing  face  and  shy,  drooping  eyes." 

Saturday  came,  and  at  an  early  hour  Star  awoke  and  arose  to 
see  what  the  morning  promised,  and  to  prepare  for  the  antici 
pated  pleasure  of  the  day. 

The  sun  rolled  up  from  the  east  without  a  cloud,  its  light, 
a  dusky  red,  tinging  all  the  earth  with  a  rosy  hue — a  sure  har 
binger  of  a  hot,  dry  day,  and  just  what  Star  of  all  things  most 
desired. 

"Why?"  does  curiosity  question. 

Because  her  one  best  dress  for  summer  had  been  a  simple 
white  lawn,  which  her  own  fair  hands  had  fashioned  in  the 
most  dainty  manner,  and  she  had  nothing  else  really  pretty 
to  wear. 

"  If  I  cannot  have  embroideries  and  laces,  I  can  at  least  have 
ruffles  and  tucks,  for  they  cost  nothing  but  time  and  patience," 
she  had  said  to  Miss  Baker,  when  the  question  "how  it  should 
be  trimmed  "  came  up  for  discussion ;  and  ruffled  and  tucked  il 
was  in  the  most  artistic  nraruier. 


138  "LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE." 

She  ran  down  stairs  to  practice  for  an  hour,  after  which  she 
went  to  her  breakfast,  and  confided  to  Mrs.  Blunt  the  fact  that 
"she  and  Uncle  Jacob"  were  going  to  have  a  holiday — her 
throbbing  pulses  warned  her  not  to  mention  the  third  member 
of  the  party,  lest  she  should  betray  more  than  she  cared  to — 
and  that  good  woman  remarked,  with  characteristic  emphasis, 
that  "if  she  wasn't  glad  of  it,  she  was  much  mistaken,  and 
hoped  she'd  have  the  best  time  in  the  world;  she'd  certainly 
had  precious  few  good  times  since  she  came  there." 

This  duty  over — for  she  did  not  feel  right  to  be  gone  the 
whole  day  without  telling  some  member  of  the  family  of  her 
intention — she  returned  to  her  room  to  give  her  attention  to 
that,  for  once  with  her,  very  important  subject  for  considera 
tion — her  toilet 

She  arranged  her  shining  hair  with  great  care.  It  was  her 
glory,  and  Archibald  Sherbrooke  had  made  it  appear  such  in 
that  picture  which  he  had  shown  her  yesterday,  and  which  she 
now  remembered  with  crimson  cheeks  and  glowing  eyes,  as  she 
brushed  those  shining  strands  until  they  gleamed  like  bur 
nished  gold.  She  then  wove  it  into  one  massive  braid,  as  she 
had  worn  it  that  day  which  neither  of  them  would  ever  forget, 
and  tied  it  a  little  way  from  the  end  with  a  fresh,  delicate  blue 
ribbon. 

This  done,  she  donned  the  spotless  white  dress,  with  a  broad 
belt  of  blue  and  its  great  bow  on  one  side,  and  fastened  a 
simple  knot  of  the  same  at  her  throat,  but  heaving  a  regretful 
sigh  as  she  thought  of  her  precious  cameo,  and  wished  she 
could  have  had  it  to  wear  to-day.  Then  she  tied  a  pretty  chip 
hat,  with  its  mull  trimmings  and  bunch  of  forget-me-nots,  over 
her  golden  head,  and  blushed  rosy  red  at  the  vision  of  loveliness 
that  looked  out  at  her  from  her  small  mirror. 

Taking  her  roll  of  music,  and  throwing  a  fleecy  shawl  over 
her  arm,  she  ran  down  stairs  with  a  light,  springing  step,  in- 


"LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE: 


'39 


tending  to  go  to  the  lodge  for  a  word  with  Mr.  Rosevelt  before 
she  went  to  the  station. 

"Where  are  you  going,  miss,  rigged  out  in  that  style?"  was 
the  rude  query  that  sal-uted  her  ears  as  she  came  out  upon  the 
veranda  and  stopped  a  moment  to  fasten  her  gloves. 

Looking  up,  she  saw  Josephine  sitting  at  one  end  of  the 
porch,  and  half  hidden  by  the  luxuriant  growth  of  vines  climb 
ing  the  trellis. 

Her  radiant  face  clouded  ;  it  seemed  almost  like  an  omen  of 
evil  to  have  her  anticipations  of  pleasure  broken  in  upon  thus. 

"I  am  going  to  New  York  to  take  my  music  lesson, "she 
answered,  touching  the  roll  underneath  her  arm. 

"Do  you  always  dress  yourself  out  like  that  to  take  your 
music  lesson?  Perhaps  you  are  trying  to  strike  up  a  flirtation 
with  Professor  What's-his-name,"  sneered  the  haughty  beauty. 

Poor  Star  glanced  down  at  her  offending  dress,  an  indignant 
flush  rising  to  her  cheek. 

The  entire  cost  of  it  had  been  less  than  what  Josephine  was 
accustomed  to  pay  for  even  a  pair  of  shoes ;  and  yet  she  knew, 
without  being  told,  that  the  gay  belle,  with  all  her  expensive 
trappings,  had  never  looked  half  so  fresh  and  lovely  as  she  did 
at  tt  at  moment 

Josephine  realized  it  also,  and  her  heart  was  filled  with  bitter 
envy  and  malice. 

"Go  back  up  stairs  and  change  your  gown,"  she  continued, 
angrily,  without  giving  Star  an  opportunity  to  reply  to  her 
taunting  remarks.  "You  have  no  business  to  go  to  the  city, 
dressed  as  if  you  were  going  to  a  party. " 

Star's  small  head  came  up  like  a  flash  of  light;  her  eyes 
darkened  and  glowed  with  a  sense  of  wounded  pride  and  in 
justice. 

She  stood  still  a  moment,  her  scarlet  lips  compressed  until 
only  a  narrow  line  of  red  was  visible ;  then,  in  a  calm,  clear, 
but  very  decided  tone,  she  sai4  : 


140 


"LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE." 


"You  have  no  right  to  lay  such  commands  upon  me,  Miss 
Richards,  and  I  shall  not  obey  you." 

"You  insolent  beggar!  what  do  you  mean  by  answering  me 
in  this  way?"  began  the  astonished  girl;  but  Star  had  glided 
down  the  steps,  and  was  walking  with  a  proud,  elastic  step 
down  the  avenue;  consequently  her  rage  was  expended  upon 
the  empty  air. 

But  she  was  fairly  startled  by  the  exquisite  loveliness  of  the 
young  girl.  She  had  never  seen  her  dressed  with  so  much  care 
before,  and  had  not  dreamed  of  having  such  a  rival  in  her  own 
dwelling. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  was  standing  on  the  porch  of  the  ledge  when 
Star  came  along,  and  he,  too,  marveled  at  her  exceeding  beauty, 
saying  to  himself  that  he  had  never  seen  her  so  brilliant  and 
spirited  before. 

And,  indeed,  he  had  not,  for  she  never  had  been  so  thor 
oughly  aroused  before  during  all  her  residence  in  Mrs.  Richards' 
family. 

"Good-morning,  Uncle  Jacob,"  she  said,  brightly,  as  she 
saw  him  standing  there,  and  her  indignation  immediately  began 
to  subside. 

What  was  Josephine  Richards  that  she  should  allow  her  to 
mar  all  the  pleasure  of  her  own  holiday? — that  she  should  drive 
the  happiness  from  her  heart,  the  sunlight  from  her  face,  when 
she  was  going  to  spend  long  hours  of  delight  in  Archibald 
Sherbrooke's  presence? 

Nothing,  save  a  coarse,  rude  girl,  devoid  of  feeling  or  refine 
ment  ;  and  with  a  resolute  effort  she  drove  her  from  her 
thoughts,  the  smile  returned  to  her  red  lips,  the  light  to  her 
eye,  as  she  ran  lightly  up  the  steps  and  stood  beside  Mr. 
Rosevelt. 

"How  well  you  are  looking,"  she  said,  gayly.  "I  just  ran 
down  to  see  if  you  were  all  right,  and  to  jog  your  memory 
about  our  little  celebration  to-day. " 


"LET  ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE."  M1 

"You  did  not  need  to  do  that,  Starling.  I  am  as  eager  as  a 
schoolboy  for  my  day  of  pleasure,"  he  returned,  with  a  fond 
smile,  adding:  "But  how  dainty  you  are  this  morning.  I 
shouldn't  wonder  if  our  artist  friend  would  be  wanting  to  paint 
the  picture  of  a  'star'  one  of  these  days,  eh?" 

Star  blushed  and  laughed  lightly. 

She  could  have  told  him,  had  she  chosen,  that  it  was  already 
painted. 

But  she  only  charged  him  playfully  to  make  himself  look  as 
young  and  charming  as  possible  if  he  intended  to  be  her  escort 
to  Coney  Island ;  then  waving  him  a  farewell,  she  tripped  away 
with  a  smile  on  her  lips,  a  song  in  her  heart. 

He  stood  and  watched  her  out  of  sight,  murmuring,  with 
something  like  regretful  fondness  : 

"My  bright  Star,  somebody  will  want  something  more  sub 
stantial  than  a  painting  if  you  are  one-half  as  attractive  in  his 
eyes  as  you  are  in  mine." 

The  little  German  professor  of  whom  Star  took  music  lessons 
rubbed  his  small  fat  hands  with  delight,  his  face  dimpling  all 
over  with  smiles,  when  she  came  like  a  ray  of  light  into  his 
room. 

"Ach!  but  der  fraulein  should  have  been  called  Miss  Glad- 
heart"  he  said,  regarding  her  admiringly.  "She  is  as  bright 
as  der  day,  as  fair  as  der  morn  ;  she  is  like  a  flower  dot  is 
newly  bloomed." 

Star  laughed  merrily. 

It  seemed  ludicrous  enough  to  her  to  hear  this  fat  little  man, 
with  his  bald  pate,  his  red  face,  dumpy  legs,  and  his  broken 
English — who  scarce  ever  was  known  to  express  a  thought  that 
was  not  connected  with  music  before — bubble  over  thus  unex 
pectedly  with  sentiment. 

"Oh,  Professor  Schwab,  you  overwhelm  me!"  she  cried, 
gayly;  "and  I'm  almost  certain  that  your  compliments  will 
degenerate  into  a  veritable  scolding  before  I  have  been  here 


I42  "LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE." 

fifteen  minutes,  for  I  fear  I  am  not  in  very  good  order  to-day, 
my  head  is  full  of  pleasure." 

"Pleasure  is  good  now  and  then  ;  it  is  made  for  youth,"  the 
professor  remarked,  with  a  sigh,  and  a  glance  at  Star's  bright 
face  and  dainty  costume,  as  if  he  regretted  that  he  was  no 
longer  young. 

"  I  want  you  to  let  me  go  in  just  half  an  hour,  for  this  is  to 
be  a  holiday,"  Star  said,  as  she  removed  her  hat  and  gloves. 

"  Der  fiaulein  shall  do  shust  vat  she  pleases — lean  refuse 
her  notting  to-day;  but, "  he  added,  assuming  a  business-like 
air,  "let  her  mind  dot  she  keep  her  fingers  right  and  der 
time  goot." 

Star  settled  down  at  once  to  her  work  with  such  earnestness 
of  purpose  that  she  really  outshone  herself,  executing  her  bril 
liant  and  difficult  exercises  in  a  way  that  would  have  done 
credit  to  the  composer  himself. 

"Verra  goot — excellent  goot!  Der  heart  is  glad,  her  hopes 
are  bright,  and  der  work  is  well  done.  Miss  Gladstone,  in  six 
months  I  teach  you  notting  more ;  you  go  to  Germany — te 
Italy,  to  study,"  he  said,  his  face  beaming  w;th  satisfaction  at 
her  proficiency. 

Star  thanked  him  with  her  brightest  smile  for  his  praise,  and 
then  left  him  with  a  light  heart;  and  when  she  reached  the 
place  appointed  as  the  rendezvous  by  Mr.  Posevelt  and  Mr. 
Sherbrooke,  this  latter  gentleman  also  thought  her  the  fairest 
object  he  had  ever  seen,  and  knew  that,  as  he  clasped  her  small 
hand,  his  eyes  were  betraying  that  old,  old  story  of  which  his 
heart  was  so  full. 

The  sail  down  the  river  was  even  more  charming  than  they 
had  anticipated.  The  day  was  perfect,  the  air  being  just  cool 
enough  to  be  exhilarating,  while  our  trio  of  friends  were  in  a 
mood  to  enjoy  everything  in  the  way  of  pleasure  that  might 
present  itself. 


"LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTVRE.  I43 

They  reached  the  island  about  noon,  when  Mr.  Sherbrooke, 
ordering  a  carriage,  they  drove  directly  to  Manhattan  Beach 
Hotel,  where  they  partook  of  a  sumptuous  dinner,  and  thus 
fortified,  sallied  forth  to  enjoy  the  beauties  and  attractions  all 
about  them. 

A  couple  of  hours  were  spent  in  visiting  the  different  objects 
of  interest,  and  then  Mr.  Rosevelt  said  that  he  should  be  obliged 
to  give  up  and  take  a  rest. 

So  Mr.  Sherbrooke  ordered  a  room  for  him  at  the  hotel,  and 
he  went  to  "take  a  nap,"  while  the  young  man,  with  a  feeling 
of  exultation  that  now  he  should  have  Star  all  to  himself,  took 
a  carriage  for  a  long  drive  upon  the  beach. 

For  miles  and  miles  they  drove  over  the  smooth,  hard  road, 
both  in  their  happiest  mood,  and  giving  themselves  up  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  hour. 

Every  moment  spent  in  Star's  society  only  served  to  entangle 
our  young  English  friend  more  securely  in  the  meshes  of  love's 
net ;  while  she  began  to  realize  that  the  world  would  never  be 
quite  the  same  again  to  her  when  he  should  be  gone  and  no 
prospect  of  their  meeting  again. 

"  He  is  going  away  next  week,"  she  kept  saying  again  and 
again  to  herself,  while  a  chill  pain  gnawed  at  her  heart.  "How 
can  I  bear  to  have  him  go,  and  feel  that  I  may  never  see  him 
again?  Oh,  England,  my  home  !  my  home  !  would  that  I  also 
could  go  back  to  you !" 

So  intense  was  her  longing  for  her  home,  so  keenly  did  she 
regret  this  parting,  which  she  felt  was  inevitable,  that  the  tears 
sprang  into  her  eyes,  and  a  deep  sigh  came  welling  up  from 
her  burdened  heart. 

"Miss  Star,  why  that  doleful  sigh?"  exclaimed  Archibald 
Sherbrooke,  in  surprise. 

Star  started,  and  looking  up,  found  her  companion's  eyes 
fixed  upon  her  with  grave  questioning. 


I44  "L£T   ME    DEPICT     YOUR    FUTURE." 

She  colored  vividly,  fearing  he  had  read  something  of  her 
thoughts. 

"  Did  I  sigh  ?"  she  asked,  evasively. 

"Yes;  and  I  did  not  like  the  sound  of  it,  either.  Are  you 
tired  of  driving?  Shall  we  go  back  and  try  something  else?" 
he  asked,  only  anxious  to  give  her  pleasure. 

"Oh,  no;  this  is  delightful,"  she  answered,  quietly.  "I  fear 
I  have  been  guilty  of  rudeness  if  I  have  given  you  the  im 
pression  that  I  am  not  enjoying  every  moment  of  this  lovely 
day.  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Sherbrooke,"  she  asked,  with  a  smile 
that  had  a  tinge  of  sadness  in  it,  "that  I  am  indebted  to  you 
for  the  only  real  holiday  that  I  have  had  since  I  came  to 
America  ?" 

He  regarded  her  with  surprise. 

"Is  it  possible?"  he  asked.  "  I  fear,  then,  that  you  have  not 
had  a  very  happy  life  during  the  last  year,  or  else  you  are  work 
ing  too  hard  over  your  books." 

She  feared  she  had  betrayed  more  than  she  ought.  She  did 
not  want  him  to  know  how  hard  life  had  been  made  for  her. 
She  was  too  proud  to  complain  of  the  ill-treatment,  the  cold 
ness,  and  even  dislike  which  had  been  her  lot,  where  she  had 
expected  to  find  only  kindness,  love,  and  sympathy. 

"  I  have  been  working  pretty  busily,"  she  answered,  as  if 
that  were  all.  "I  am  anxious  to  graduate  this  year,  and  I 
have  to  apply  myself  rather  closely  with  my  music  and  other 
duties." 

"Why  are  you  so  anxious  to  graduate  this  year?  Why  not 
take  more  time,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  injuring  your 
health?"  he  questioned,  gravely. 

"  I  am  going  back  to  England  some  time,"  she  said,  her  eyes 
kindling,  "and  the  sooner  I  can  complete  my  education,  the 
earlier  I  can  go.  I  have  my  own  future  to  carve  out,  Mr.  Sher 
brooke,  and  my  aim  is  to  prepare  myself  for  a  teacher." 

"Your  own  future  to  carve  out!"  he  cried,  greatly  surprised, 


"LET    ME    DEPICT    YOUR    FUTURE: 


'45 


"I  thought  you  had  friends  here  who  were  to  care  for  you 
always. " 

She  colored,  but  answered,  gravely  : 

"  I  should  not  be  content  to  pass  nay  life  here.  I  shall  stay 
only  long  enough  to  complete  my  education ;  then  I  shall  go 
back  to  my  own  country  to  teach. " 

He  understood  her;  he  saw,  even  though  she  would  not 
confess  it,  that  her  life  since  coming  to  America  had  not  been 
a  happy  one. 

He  saw  now,  as  he  looked  down  into  her  face,  so  fair  and 
beautiful,  what  he  had  not  noticed  before,  she  had  always  been 
so  bright  and  animated  when  with  him. 

There  was  a  wistful  look  in  her  eyes,  lines  of  sadness  about 
her  sensitive  mouth,  that  told  him  of  a  heart  yearning  for  love 
and  finding  only  husks  to  feed  upon. 

She  was  going  to  be  a  teacher,  she  said  ;  she  was  bending  all 
her  energies  in  that  direction,  and  was  working,  he  felt  assured, 
far  beyond  her  strength. 

•  S>he  did  not  look  fit  to  fight  the  battle  of  life  alone ;  she  was 
slender  and  delicate,  although  he  felt  that,  in  spite  of  her  fragile 
appearance,  there  was  an  element  of  strength  in  her  character 
which  would  overcome  every  obstacle  which  it  was  possible  for 
a  human  being  in  her  position  to  overcome. 

She  had  "  her  future  to  carve  out,"  she  had  told  him.  What 
did  she  intend  that  future  to  be? — what  were  her  hopes,  her 
aims,  her  plans  ?  Surely  not  to  teach  always. 

Ah,  if  she  would  but  learn  to  love  him — if  he  could  win  her, 
it  would  be  very  different  from  the  wearying,  dragging  life  of  a 
teacher. 

Before  he  was  hardly  aware  of  his  intention,  his  heart  had 
overleaped  every  barrier,  he  bent  toward  her  and  said,  in  a  low, 
earnest  tone : 

"Star,  I  love  you.     Let  me  depict  your  future  for  you," 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A     FATAL      MISTAKE. 

The  beautiful  maiden  cast  one  startled  glance  up  at  her  hand 
some  lover,  and  then  grew  colorless  as  the  dress  she  wore. 

But  when  he  softly  laid  his  hand  upon  hers,  saying,  gently, 
"Darling,  I  have  frightened  you  with  my  abruptness,"  her 
whole  being  thrilled  beneath  his  touch,  and  the  rich  crimson 
swept  swiftly  up  over  neck,  face,  and  brow,  until  it  lost  itself  in 
the  fluffy  masses  of  sunny  hair  which  lay  upon  her  forehead. 

"I  could  not  help  it,"  he  went  on,  a  glad  light  leaping  to 
his  eyes  as  he  saw  her  blushes;  "and  I  have  known  that  I  love 
you,  my  beautiful  one,  for  a  long  time.  Do  you  remember 
that  it  was  I  who  received  you  into  my  arms  when  you  were 
lifted  to  the  deck  of  our  steamer  from  that  frail  boat  in  which 
you  so  nearly  perished?  Do  you  know  that  your  fair  face  lay 
upon  my  breast,  and  as  I  looked  down  upon  you,  /  knew  that 
no  other  had  ever  moved  me  so  strangely  and  so  deeply,  despite 
its  pallor  and  the  tale  of  suffering  that  I  read  there?  Its  power 
grew  upon  me  during  the  few  days  which  followed  and  while 
we  were  so  much  together,  and  when  at  last  we  were  obliged 
to  part,  and  I  begged  a  tress  of  this  sunshine" — touching  the 
massive  braid  which  lay  over  her  shoulder  almost  reverently — 
"the  picture  that  you  made,  with  your  shy  grace  and  modest 
beauty  as  you  unhesitatingly  clipped  it  for  me,  stamped  itself 
indelibly  upon  my  heart,  where  I  have  carried  it  ever  since, 
growing  to  love  it  more  and  more,  until  I  determined  to  make 
it  always  mine  by  putting  it  on  canvas.  I  did  not  know  as  I 
should  ever  see  you  again,  and  yet  I  have  been  haunted  by  a 
feeling  that  some  magnetic  influence  or  strange  power  of  attrac- 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE.  147 

tion  would  eventually  draw  us  together  again  ;  and  so  it  has 
proved.  Star,  I  know  that  I  love  you  as  deeply  and  truly  as  it 
is  possible  for  one  human  being  to  love  another.  You  say  you 
love  England ;  you  wish  to  go  back  and  make  your  home 
there.  Tell  me  that,  some  day,  /may  take  you  there — that  my 
home  shall  become  your  home,  and  you  will  be  my  cherished 
wife.  My  darling,  you  have  made  yourself  very  fair  to-day — 
so  like  the  picture  I  have  painted,  and  which  I  showed  you 
yesterday,  that  something  has  whispered  to  me  that  a  thought 
of  me  prompted  it ;  that  there  was  something  of  tenderness  in 
your  heart  which  made  you  put  those  shining  locks,  which  you 
have  been  wearing  in  another  fashion  of  late,  into  this  massive 
braid  again,  and  tie  it  with  this  lovely  blue,  so  like  your  eyes. 
Raise  them,  dear,  and  let  me  look  into  them,  to  see  if  I  can 
read  anything  of  the  story  I  wish  to  know.  Tell  me,  Star,  that 
when  I  come  to  America  again,  I  may  come  to  claim  this  hand 
and  call  its  owner  my  wife. " 

His  hand  had  rested  lightly  upon  hers  all  the  time  he  had 
been  speaking.  She  had  not  attempted  to  withdraw  it,  and  now 
his  fingers  closed  over  it  in  a  firm,  loving  clasp. 

It  still  lay  trembling  but  unresistingly  there ;  and  when,  as 
he  bent. to  look  into  those  drooping  eyes,  she  lifted  them  to  his 
with  one  shy  glance  of  answering  tenderness,  he  knew  that  he 
had  not  sued  in  vain. 

"My  own  darling  !"  he  whispered,  passionately,  his  face  flush 
ing  with  happiness;  -''you  do  love  me;  I  read  it  in  your  eyes, 
and  the  world  was  never  so  bright  to  me  as  at  this  moment; 
but  tell  me,  shall  I  have  what  I  want — will  you  give  me  your 
promise  that,  next  year,  when  you  have  completed  your  edu 
cation,  instead  of  going  back  to  England  as  a  teacher,  you  will 
go  with  me  as  my  wife?" 

She  grew  suddenly  grave,  and  lifting  an  earnest  look  to  his 
iace,  said  : 

"I  have  told  you  that  I  am  only  a  poor  girl,  with  my  own 


U8  A    FATAL    MISTAKE. 

fortune  to  carve  out.  You  have  no  idea  how  poor  I  am,  how 
dependent,  ho^  friendless.  You,  perhaps,  have  proud  rela 
tives  ;  you  may  occupy  a  place  far  above  me  socially,  and  your 
friends  might  object  to  your  claiming  one  in  my  position  as 
your  wife. " 

"I  care  nothing  for  your  poverty  or  dependence,  dear,"  he 
returned,  tenderly;  '-it  cannot  alter  the  fact  that  you  are  the 
only  woman  whom  I  shall  ever  love  well  enough  to  make  my 
wife.  But, "  he  added,  with  a  thoughtful  look,  ' '  I  forget  that 
I  am  almost  a  stranger  to  you — that  you  know  nothing  of  me, 
that  I  have  told  you  nothing  ~ — " 

"I  have  not  given  it  a  thought,"  Star  interrupted,  earnestly. 
"I  can  trust  you;  I  know  you  are  true." 

His  face  grew  radiant. 

"You  will  never  regret  your  trust,  my  darling,"  he  said. 
"I — am  an  artist,  Star,  but  I  believe  I  can  take  care  of  you, 
and  promise  you  that  you  shall  never  know  the  meaning  of  the 
words  poor  and  dependent  again.  Of  course  I  have  friends, 
and — but  I  will  tell  you  all  about  them  some  other  time.  I 
want  my  promise  now — you  will  give  yourself  to  me,  dear?" 

"Yes,"  she  breathed,  her  scarlet  lips  parting  slightly  with  a 
tremulous  smile,  "by  and  by,  when  I  am  better  fitted  to  be 
your — wife." 

He  longed  to  take  her  in  his  arms  and  draw  her  to  his  heart, 
and  kiss  the  lips  that  had  promised  him  the  greatest  joy  he  had 
ever  known ;  but  there  were  other  carriages  near,  and  curious 
eyes  all  about  them ;  so  he  could  only  clasp  that  small  hand 
more  fondly,  and  murmur  low  and  tender  words  to  tell  of  the 
deep,  true  love  of  which  his  heart  was  full. 

' '  You  shall  indeed  go  back  to  England  now,  my  darling, " 
he  said,  "but  never  to  teach.  You  shall  remain  here  until  you 
have  completed  your  course  of  study  if  you  wish ;  then  I  shall 
come,  before  this  time  next  year,  and  take  you  to  my — our 
home.  I  shall  return  with  a  happy  heart  now,  for  I  shall  have 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE. 

an  object  to  work  for  and  something  to  look  forward  to.  Ah, 
my  dear,  my  dear,  do  you  realize  what  is  in  store  for  us  ? — a 
long  life  of  joy  and  love  together,  with  brightest  hopes  and  con 
genial  tastes.  Star,  my  beloved — my  star,  indeed  !" 

Who  can  wonder  that  she  gave  herself  up  to  the  bliss  of 
loving  and  being  loved,  when  wooed  in  this  tender  manner? 

Who  could  chide  this  heart-hungry  maiden,  who  had  been 
starving  for  affection  and  sympathy,  for  feeling  that  she  had 
never  known  happiness  before? 

And  she  loved  him  with  all  her  soul.  He  had  won  all  the 
passion  of  her  young  heart,  and  she  gave  herself  up  to  hiro 
wholly,  unreservedly,  trusting  him  without  a  suspicion  or 
thought  that  he  could  be  anything  save  truth  and  honor  itself. 

Twilight  was  beginning  to  gather  when  they  returned  to  the 
hotel  where  they  had  left  Mr.  Rosevelt,  but  it  was  not  yet  so 
dark  but  that  that  gentleman  remarked  the  glorified  expression 
of  the  young  man's  face,  and  the  brilliant  light  which  gleamed 
in  Star's  radiant  eyes. 

"  May  I  tell  our  dear  old  friend,  Star?"  Archibald  Sherbrooke 
whispered,  as  he  assisted  her  to  alight  from  the  carriage. 

She  started,  and  grew  crimson. 

' '  Oh,  Mr.  Sherbrooke,  not  to-night,  please. " 

"To  whom  are  you  speaking,  my  Star?"  he  interrupted,  with 
assumed  sternness  and  reproach. 

She  glanced  up  questioningly,  yet  with  burning  cheeks,  for 
she  knew  what  he  meant,  but  was  not  quite  sure  yet  what  he 
wished  her  to  call  him. 

"My  mother  calls  me  Archie,"  he  said,  with  a  meaning 
smile. 

"  Must  /  call  you  that?"  she  asked,  her  heart  thrilling  at  the 
name,  yet  instinctively  shrinking  from  addressing  him  quite  so 
familiarly  just  yet. 

' '  There  is  no  '  must '  about  it,  nor  about  anything  else  that 


1 5o 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE. 


you  do  not  like,  my  darling,"  he  said,  very  gently,  but  looking 
a  trifle  grave,  she  thought. 

"Then  please  let  me  go — Archie,  for  I  know  Uncle  Jacob 
is  wondering  why  it  takes  me  so  long  to  get  out  of  the  carriage, 
and — and  ever  so  many  people  are  looking  at  us, "  Star  said, 
wishing  she  could  hide  her  hot  cheeks,  and  realizing,  if  he  did 
not,  that  he  was  holding  her  hands  a  great  deal  longer  than 
there  was  any  need  of  doing. 

A  brilliant  smile  parted  his  lips  as  he  released  her,  and  she 
darted  away  just  as  a  servant  came  forward  to  take  the  horse, 
he  following  more  leisurely  to  give  her  time  to  recover  herself 
a  little. 

"You  have  enjoyed  your  drive,  little  one?"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
asserted,  questioningly,  as  she  came  and  stood  beside  his  chair, 
while  he  regarded  her  with  a  keen  glance. 

"Very  much,  Uncle  Jacob;  and  you — are  you  rested?"  Star 
asked,  eager  to  turn  his  attention  from  herself. 

"Entirely,  and  am  as  hungry  as  an  old  bear,  too.  These 
sea  breezes  have  sharpened  my  appetite  to  a  painful  degree," 
he  replied,  as  if  his  hunger  was  the  only  subject  which  occupied 
his  thoughts,  while  all  the  time  he  was  watching  her  closely, 
and  telling  himself  that  there  must  be  some  cause  more  potent 
than  "sea  breezes"  for  her  brilliant  color  and  that  tender  light 
in  her  eyes. 

"I  am  delighted  to  hear  it,"  young  Sherbrooke  said,  now 
joining  them,  "for  our  tea  is  waiting  for  us,  I  am  told,  and  we 
shall  have  just  about  time  enough  to  dispatch  it  comfortably 
before  the  boat  is  due." 

They  went  in  to  an  inviting  meal,  spread  in  a  private  room 
for  them.  The  young  man  had  given  an  order  to  this  effect 
before  going  to  ride,  as  he  had  noticed  that  Star  was  annoyed 
at  dinner  by  the  attention  which  her  lovely  face  had  attracted. 

But  it  was  noticeable  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  did  most  of  the  eat 
ing,  for  our  lovers  were  in  altogether  too  exalted  a  state  for  such 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE.  I5! 

commonplace  realities  as  bread  and  butter,  or  even  for  anything 
so  tempting  as  peaches  and  cream. 

When  Mr.  Rosevelt's  hunger  was  appeased,  he  asked  Star  to 
play  something  before  they  left. 

There  was  a  piano  in  the  room,  and  he  was  extremely  fond 
of  music. 

"  I  want  our  friend  here  to  know  what  a  talented  little  musi 
cian  we  have, "  he  said,  with  a  fond  glance  at  his  favorite. 

Star  was  only  too  willing  to  comply  with  his  request,  glad  of 
anything  to  relieve  the  awkward  consciousness  which  had  per^ 
vaded  her  all  through  tea,  and  sitting  down  to  the  instrument, 
she  played  several  pieces. 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  was  astonished  at  the  proficiency  which 
she  displayed,  and  the  appreciative  silence  which  prevailed 
upon  the  veranda  outside  the  open  windows,  told  that  her 
power  had  swayed  a  larger  audience  than  she  had  thought  of 
having. 

"She  is  mine;  I  have  won  her,  this  talented,  beautiful,  pure- 
hearted  girl,"  Archibald  Sherbrooke  said,  exultantly,  to  himself, 
as  he  closed  the  piano  for  her,  and  pressed  the  hand  that  hung 
invitingly  near  him. 

They  repaired  to  the  boat-landing  soon  after,  for  it  was  nearly 
time  for  their  departure. 

When  the  steamer  arrived,  Archibald  found  a  sheltered  seat 
for  Mr.  Rosevelt,  and  then  drawing  Star  a  little  apart,  wrapped 
her  shawl  carefully  about  her  and  sat  down  beside  her,  her  hand 
clasped  in  his  under  cover  of  its  soft  folds. 

"He  will  not  mind,  and  I  want  you  to  myself,"  he  whis 
pered.  "I  cannot  see  you  to-morrow,  love,  for  it  will  be 
Sunday,  but  Monday  or  Tuesday  I  shall  come  to  you.  I  can 
not  wait  longer." 

Star  glanced  at  him  somewhat  anxiously. 

She  knew  what  that  coming  would  entail  upon  her — sneers 


I5a  ^    FATAL    MISTAKE. 

and  taunts,  and  perhaps  more  unkindness  than  she  had  ever 
yet  received  from  Mrs.  Richards  or  Josephine. 

Mr.  Richards,  she  felt  assured,  would  be  more  considerate 
of  her  feelings ;  yet,  under  any  circumstances,  this  visit  of  her 
lover  would  be  a  very  trying  one. 

Ah !  how  trying,  Heaven  only  knew. 

She  thought  perhaps  she  ought  to  tell  him  something  of  her 
life  during  the  last  year,  that  he  might  not  be  wholly  unpre 
pared  when  he  should  present  his  suit  for  what  she  feared  would 
be  a  very  disagreeable  interview. 

But  she  was  so  supremely  happy  sitting  there  by  his  side  in 
the  glorious  moonlight,  and  knowing  that  she  was  so  tenderly 
beloved,  that  she  could  not  bear  to  mar  it  by  so  much  as  a 
•word  or  thought  of  what  she  had  suffered  in  the  past,  or  might 
have  to  endure  in  the  future,  until  he  should  come  for  her  to 
claim  her  as  his  wife.  No,  she  would  not  tell  him  ;  she  would 
wait  until  after  he  had  been  presented  to  her  guardians.  There 
would  be  time  enough  then,  and  it  would  be  just  as  well. 
,  But  it  was  a  fatal  mistake. 

Had  she  told  him  then,  all  the  pain  and  anguish,  all  the 
misery  and  hopelessness  which  she  afterward  experienced  would 
have  been  spared  her;  but  how  could  she  know? 

So  they  sailed  on  up  the  river,  side  by  side,  hand  clasped 
in  hand,  and  thought  only  of  the  supreme  happiness  of  the 
moment. 

It  was  one  of  those  beautiful  fall  evenings,  calm  and  still, 
and  bright  with  an  almost  intoxicating  brilliancy ;  the  heavens, 
the  river,  with  its  gliding  banks  on  either  side,  all  lighted  with 
a  radiance  that  was  absolutely  dazzling;  and  Star  wondered  if 
ever  in  all  her  life  before  she  had  seen  the  world  so  wondrously 
beautiful. 

"Monday  or  Tuesday  you  are  coming  to  Yonkew?"  Star  mur 
mured,  in  reply  to  this  remark  of  her  lover's.  "  I  thought  you 
were  to  be  away  from  New  York  next  week  ?" 


A    FATAL    MISTAKE. 


«53 


"And  so  I  am ;  I  am  coming  to  Yonkers  to  see  you,"  he 
answered,  smiling.  "  My  darling,  do  you  not  know  that  all 
the  world  is  changed  for  me  now  ?" 

It  certainly  was  for  her,  she  thought,  with  a  tender  little 
smile,  and  then  she  said  : 

"  Have  you  a  card  and  a  pencil?  I  must  tell  you  where  to 
find  me,  you  know." 

' '  True.  How  stupid  of  me  not  to  have  thought  of  it, "  he 
returned,  as  he  searched  his  pockets  to  find  what  she  wanted.  . 

"I  thought  it  better  to  write  it  than  to  tell  you,"  she  said, 
archly,  "fearing  you  might  forget" 

"I  own  that  I  am  not  in  a  condition  to  remember  anything 
to-night,  save  that  you  love  me  and  that  I  have  won  you,"  he 
whispered,  putting  pencil  and  card  into  her  hand. 

She  wrote  the  street  and  number  of  the  house  where  she 
lived,  and  gave  it  back  to  him,  and  he  put  it  away  without  even 
looking  at  it. 

And  thus  the  moments  sped  swiftly  on  until  they  landed, 
and  that  delightful  homeward  sail  was  over  and  had  become 
one  of  those  events  to  be  remembered  and  treasured  when,  in 
the  dark  future,  they  should  look  back  upon  it  and  wonder 
if  as  bright  a  gleam  of  happiness  had  ever  really  existed  in 
their  lives. 

Mr.  Sherbrooke  accompanied  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star  to  the 
station  where  they  had  to  take  the  train  for  Yonkers,  and  found 
comfortable  seats  for  them. 

"  I  shall  see  you  again  very  soon,"  he  said  to  the  old  gentle 
man,  as  he  took  his  hand  at  parting. 

"I  trust  so.  We  shall  be  glad  to  see  you  at  any  time;  and 
many  thanks  for  this  day's  pleasure,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  replied, 
heartily. 

"The  obligation  is  all  on  my  side,"  Archie  said,  with  a 
meaning  glance  at  Star,  which  made  the  color  come  again  and 
her  heart  to  bound  like  a  roe  in  her  bosom. 


1 54  A     GREAT    SHOCK. 

The  bell  warned  him  that  he  must  go,  and  with  a  lingering, 
loving  pressure  of  her  hand,  he  reluctantly  bade  them  a  final 
good-night  and  went  away. 

The  young  girl  had  no  idea  of  the  lapse  of  time  after  that, 
until  she  heard  Mr.  Rosevelt  heave  a  long-drawn  sigh. 

She  started,  realizing  then  that  they  were  almost  home,  and 
that  she  had  not  spoken  one  word  since  her  lover  left  them. 

' '  Uncle  Jacob,  are  you  very  tired  ?"  she  asked,  anxiously, 
aixd  with  a  feeling  of  self-reproach. 

"No,  dear;  only  thinking  how  beautiful  the  world  is  under 
some  conditions,  how  dreary  under  others, "  he  returned,  watch 
ing  her  intently. 

The  young  girl's  cheeks  glowed  hotly,  but  she  had  not  a 
word  to  say  in  reply  to  those  sentiments.  But  she  knew  that 
the  events  of  that  day  had  glorified  the  whole  world  for  her,  and 
all  the  way  home  she  had  been  weaving  golden  plans  for  the 
future,  when  Archie — it  came  easier  every  time  now — should 
take  her  to  his  simple  home  over  the  water — for  of  course  it 
must  be  simple,  since  he  was  only  an  artist — and  which  she 
would  make  just  as  bright  and  beautiful  AS  love  and  taste  could 
make  it 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A     GREAT     SHOCK. 

The  next  morning,  on  descending  to  her  breakfast,  Star 
found  the  whole  house  in  a  state  of  great  excitement. 

On  asking  Mrs.  Blunt  the  meaning  of  it,  that  good  but  evi 
dently  much  disturbed  woman  informed  her  that  a  "real  live 


A  GREAT  SHOCK.  155 

English  lord  was  expected  to  arrive  the  following  day, 
and  Mrs.  Richards  had  given  orders  that  everything  be 
done  up  in  the  grandest  style  possible." 

"A  lord  ?"  Star  said,  smiling — she  had  seen  many  a  lord, 
and  had  not  been  very  crushingly  impressed  with  a  sense 
of  her  own  inferiority  and  insignificance  in  consequence — 
"a  lord,  Mrs.  Blunt?"  she  repeated,  laughing.  "You  will 
find  him  simply  a  man,  very  much  like  the  rest  of  mankind. 
He  will  eat,  and  sleep,  and  talk,  and  walk  exactly  like 
anybody  else.  But  what  may  his  lordship's  name  be,  and 
what  brings  him  here?"  she  concluded,  with  some 
curiosity. 

"Lor',  Miss  Star,  you  take  it  pretty  coolly,  or  I'm  much 
mistaken,"  Mrs.  Blunt  remarked,  with  an  admiring  glance 
at  the  girl's  bright  face ;  "but  I  suppose  it's  because  you're 
accustomed  to  seeing  'em,  being  English  yourself.  But  a 
lord  is  considered  some  pumpkins  on  this  side  of  the  water 
— at  least,  madam  appears  to  think  so,  since  he  was  court 
ing  Miss  Josephine  all  the  time  down  at  Long  Branch, 
and  she  hopes  to  have  him  for  a  son-in-law  one  of  these 
fine  days." 

Star  looked  surprised  at  this  bit  of  information.  Mrs. 
Richards  and  Josephine  had  been  home  a  week,  and  she 
had  heard  nothing  of  this  before,  although  the  subject  had 
been  pretty  thoroughly  discussed  among  the  servants  of 
the  household.  But  she  had  been  so  intent  upon  her 
•Uudies  and  music,  going  from  home  so  early  and  return 
ing  so  late,  and  keeping  her  own  room  so  much,  that  it  was 
nothing  strange. 

"Is  Miss  Josephine  engaged  to  him?"  she  asked. 

"Couldn't  say  positive,  Miss  Star,  as  to  that ;  but  if  she 
ain't,  she's  expecting  to  be,  and  doing  her  prettiest  to 
catch  him,  or  I'm  much  mistaken.  She's  talked  of  noth 
ing  else  since  she  got  home;  and  the  beautiful 
dresses  she's  bought,  and  the  grand  things  she's 
been  planning  to  do  when  he  comes,  would  fill 
a  book  if  rightly  writ  up.  It's  a  mystery  to  me  how 


156  A    GREAT   SffOCff. 

anybody  so  grand  and  mighty  can  walk  on  two  legs  like  the  rest 
of  us  common  mortals,"  she  concluded,  with  grim  humor. 

Star  laughed  merrily. 

Evidently  Mrs.  Blunt,  as  a  loyal  subject  of  a  democratic 
country,  did  not  look  forward  to  the  advent  of  this  young  sprig 
of  nobility  with  very  much  relish. 

"  You  have  not  told  me  his  name  yet,"  Star  said. 

"Carrol — my  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton,  Derbyshire,  Eng» 
land,  and  goodness  knows  what  else,"  Mrs.  Blunt  replied, 
spitefully,  but  with  a  toss  of  her  head  so  exactly  in  imitation 
of  Josephine  when  that  young  lady  went  soaring  among  the 
clouds,  that  Star  was  infinitely  amused. 

"Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton,"  she  repeated,  reflectively.  "I 
have  never  heard  of  any  one  by  that  name,  and  we  lived  in 
Derbyshire,  too ;  but  of  course  there  are  a  great  many  people 
there  of  whom  I  know  nothing." 

"That's  true,  no  doubt;  but  his  being  a  lord  don't  make 
him  any  the  better  worth  your  knowing,  according  to  my  way 
of  thinking.  But,  gracious  me !  I  mustn't  stand  here  talking, 
when  there  are  such  heaps  of  work  to  be  done ;"  and  the  ex 
cited  woman  began  to  bustle  about  the  room  with  decidedly 
more  of  energy  than  grace. 

"Now,  Mrs.  Blunt,"  Star  said,  picking  up  an  apron  and  tying 
it  around  her  slim  waist,  "since  you  have  such  'heaps'  to  do, 
let  me  do  something  to  help  you." 

"Bless  you,  child!  you  sha'n't  touch  a  thing.  You  ain't 
going  to  spoil  those  pretty  fingers  for  the  piano,  lord  or  no  lord. 
I  was  baking  and  preserving  all  day  yesterday,  and  had  no  time 
to  make  the  black  cake  that  madam  gave  orders  for,  so  I  sup 
pose  I've  got  it  to  do  to-day,  if  'tis  Sunday. " 

"And  you've  got  all  those  raisins  to  seed,  those  currants  to 
clean,  and  that  citron  to  slice.  It  is  too  bad,  Mrs.  Blunt,  and 
on  this  holy  Sabbath,  too, "  Star  said,  gravely,  while  she  heaved 


A     GREAT    SHOCK. 


'57 


a  regretful  sigh  as  she  glanced  from  the  window  and  saw  the 
bright  sunshine  tinting  everything  with  a  golden  light. 

"Can't  help  it;  it's  got  to  be  done,"  the  housekeeper  re 
sponded,  grimly.  "I  expect, "she  went  on,  her  thin  lips  curling 
with  a  curious  expression  of  scorn,  "if  madam  don't  work  her 
self  on  Sunday  she  thinks  she's  keeping  the  Sabbath  in  a  proper 
manner  and  according  to  law  and  gospel,  no  matter  how  much 
her  servants  may  have  to  do.  I've  a  notion  that  perhaps  her 
Bible  don't  read  like  mine ;  that  part  where  it  says  '  thou,  nor 
thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant,'  must  have  been  left 
out  of  those  velvet  covers  of  hers.  But  you  go  away,  Miss 
Star.  If  I've  got  to  break  one  of  the  '  thou  shalt  nots, '  you 
ain't  going  to  be  a  partner  in  my  sin, "she  concluded,  as  the 
young  girl  sat  down  to  the  table  and  began  to  open  a  large 
package  of  raisins  which  lay  there. 

"No,  indeed,  Mrs.  Blunt,  I  am  not  going  away;  I  am  going 
to  help  you ;  and  if  we  work  nimbly  together,  perhaps  we  can 
get  through  in  season  to  go  over  to  the  chapel  for  evening 
service ;"  and  she  pulled  out  a  great  bunch  of  the  fruit  and 
began  to  pick  it  from  the  stems. 

"Miss  Star,  I  couldn't  consent  to  it  no  way;  I  couldn't  have 
it  on  my  conscience  that  you  should  do  it,"  the  woman  returned, 
real  distress  pictured  on  her  honest  face. 

"Now,  be  reasonable,  Mrs.  B.,  do,"  Star  said,  coaxingly. 
"If  you  had  so  much  to  do  yesterday  that  you  couldn't  do  this 
work,  and  it  must  be  done  to-day,  /  shall  not  feel  that  I  am 
doing  anything  wrong  to  help  you,  and  Fm  going  to. " 

"Well,"  the  housekeeper  said,  with  a  sigh  of  resignation, 
"that  cake  has  got  to  be  baked  to-day,  and  it  would  take  me 
six  mortal  hours  to  clean  that  fruit  alone,  let  alone  the  making 
and  baking.  I'm  sure  it's  real  good  of  you  to  offer  to  help  me, 
but — there  are  your  fingers,  Miss  Star " 

"I  know  it,  and  nimble  ones  you'll  find  them,  too,"  inter 
rupted  the  young  girl,  smiling.  "Now,  don't  raise  any  more 


I58  A     GREAT    SHOCK. 

objections,  there's  a  good  soul,  for  I  may  have  to  do  this  kina 
of  work  for  myself  sometime,"  she  went  on,  with  a  slight  flush, 
and  drooping  her  white  lids  to  hide  the  happiness  in  her  eyes, 
"and  I  should  really  like  you  to  teach  me  how,  although  I 
must  confess  Sunday  would  not  be  the  day  that  I  should  choose 
on  which  to  learn  to  cook ;"  and,  without  more  ado,  she  bent 
over  hvr  self-imposed  task,  while  Mrs.  Blunt  turned  aside  to 
heave  a  sigh  of  relief  and  wipe  a  tear  from  her  eyes ;  "for,"  as 
she  tola  the  house-maid  afterward,  "  it  was  no  fool  of  a  job  to 
get  nine  pounds  of  fruit  ready  for  cake,  and  the  day  had 
looked  longer  than  the  first  twelve  chapters  of  Chronicles,  with 
their  sons  and  son's  sons,  which  her  father  had  made  her  learn 
when,  as  a  child,  she  had  played  truant  from  her  Sunday- 
school.  " 

Hour  after  hour  Star  patiently  worked  with  the  tired  woman, 
helping  to  stone  the  raisins,  stem  the  currants,  and  slice  the 
citron;  and  when  at  last  the  fragrant  fruit  was  all  mixed  and 
floured  ready  for  the  cake  that  was  to  test  the  digestive  organs 
of  the  notable  lord,  she  beat  the  eggs,  browned  the  flour,  and 
waited  upon  the  housekeeper  until  the  savory  mess  was  finished 
and  put  in  the  pans. 

"Two  mortal  hours  it  will  take  me  to  bake  it,  and  then 
it  will  be  ready  for  the  confectioner  to  ice,"  she  said,  as  she 
slipped  it  into  the  oven  and  shut  the  door  upon  it  with  a  sigh 
of  relief. 

"  Blessings  on  you,  child,"  she  added,  gratefully,  "for  your 
kind  heart  and  willing  fingers,  and  when  you're  married,  if  I'm 
living,  I'll  make  your  wedding-cake  for  you." 

"Thank  you,  Mrs.  Blunt;  I  shall  not  forget  your  promise, 
you  may  be  sure,"  laughed  the  happy  girl,  as,  flushed  and  tired, 
but  with  a  light  heart  after  the  performance  of  a  kind  act,  she 
sought  her  own  room  to  rest  and  think  of  the  manly  lover  who 
was  to  come  in  a  day  or  two,  and  to  wonder  if  Mrs.  Blunt 
would  really  make  her  wedding-cake. 


A    GREAT    SHOCK". 


159 


She  could  not  feel  that  she  had  been  guilty  of  any  wrong  in 
lending  her  aid  to  the  weary  and  overworked  woman  below, 
even  though  she  had  spent  long  hours  of  that  Sabbath  in  labor ; 
and  when,  as  the  evening  bells  called  to  prayer,  and  the  glorious 
harvest  moon  came  sailing  up  from  the  east,  flooding  all  the 
earth  with  beauty,  they  wended  their  way  together  to  the  chapel 
of  which  Star  had  spoken  in  the  morning,  and  where  she  loved 
to  go  because  everything  was  so  quiet  and  unostentatious,  a 
peculiar  peace  seemed  to  pervade  her  heart,  and  a  voice,  as  of 
some  angel,  to  whisper  the  benison  "well  done." 

Monday  all  day  the  greatest  excitement  prevailed,  as  on  the 
preceding  day,  in  the  Richards'  mansion,  for  its  ambitious  mis 
tress  had  determined  to  make  a  favorable  impression  upon  the 
young  lord  whom  she  was  anxious  to  secure  as  a  son-in-law, 
and  accordingly  spared  neither  pains  nor  expense  to  make  her 
house  and  hospitality  as  imposing  as  possible. 

Star  was  away,  as  usual,  all  day  at  school,  and  therefore  was 
not  mixed  up  in  the  confusion ;  but,  upon  her  return,  she 
could  imagine  something  of  what  had  been  done,  for  the  house 
was  a  perfect  bower  of  beauty,  and  order,  and  cleanliness  from 
top  to  bottom. 

Flowers  of  the  choicest  description  were  everywhere;  fresh 
draperies  had  been  put  up  wherever  they  were  needed,  and 
most  tastefully  arranged ;  the  servants  were  all  arrayed  in  im 
maculate  suits,  and  went  tiptoeing  around  with  that  air  of 
importance  and  expectancy  which  betrayed  the  interest  they  felt 
in  the  arrival  of  an  English  peer ;  while  Mrs.  Richards  and 
Josephine  were  perfectly  gorgeous  in  new  dresses  of  latest 
fashion  and  most  artistic  design. 

The  coach,  with  its  burnished  trimmings  and  its  span  of 
spirited  bays  in  their  gold-mounted  harness,  was  standing  before 
the  door,  ready  to  go  to  the  station  to  meet  the  expected  guest ; 
and  with  all  these  evidences  of  preparation  around  her,  Star 


A     GREAT    SHOCK. 

would  have  been  less  than  human  not  to  have  experienced 
some  curiosity  regarding  my  "Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrol  ton." 

"  Well,  it  may  be  one  of  the  'good  times  that  I  can't  be  in,' 
as  poor  Glory  McGuirk  would  say ;  but  then  I  had  my  good 
time  yesterday,  and  I  don't  know  as  I  care  very  much,"  she 
thought,  with  a  smile  half  sad,  half  tender,  as  she  watched  the 
carriage  containing  Josephine  and  her  father  whirl  away  in 
grand  style  to  the  station. 

However,  thinking  it  might  be  expected  of  her  to  make  a 
good  appearance  in  case  she  should  happen  to  meet  the  dis 
tinguished  stranger,  she  changed  her  school-dress  for  a  fresh, 
blue  lawn,  trimmed  with  a  dainty  white  edging,  spanned  her 
small  waist  with  a  broad  belt,  and  fastened  a  bunch  of  waxen 
snow-drops  at  her  throat. 

She  had  no  jewels,  no  elaborate  lingerie  like  Josephine  with 
which  to  make  herself  attractive ;  but  she  had  a  way  of  giving 
herself  such  a  touch  of  elegance  with  these  little  accessories, 
despite  her  simple  attire,  that  no  one  could  pass  her  by  un 
noticed  ;  and  now,  with  that  new-born  smile  of  happiness  on 
her  ripe  lips,  that  light  of  love  and  hope  in  her  eyes,  and 
the  coming  and  going  color  in  her  cheeks,  she  was  fairest  of 
the  fair. 

When  her  toilet  was  completed  she  sat  down  by  her  win 
dow — which,  although  in  the  third  story,  was  upon  the  front 
of  the  house,  where  she  could  look  directly  down  upon  the 
porch,  and  also  commanded  a  view  of  the  winding  avenue 
which  led  down  to  the  road — to  watch  for  the  return  of  the 
coach  and  the  coming  of  the  illustrious  guest. 

Sitting  there,  she  fell  to  musing — to  thinking  of  the  time 
when  she  should  go  back  to  dear  old  England,  the  land  of  her 
birth,  the  home  of  her  love. 

Only  a  few  months  more  and  her  course  of  study  would  be 
finished ;  a  little  more  of  faithful  application  to  her  books,  a 


A    GREAT    SHOCK.  l6l 

* 

little  season  of  patience  and  forbearance,  then  a  life  of  bright 
ness  and  happiness. 

Some  one  would  come  for  her  then,  and  she  would  go  away 
forever  from  the  slights,  and  sneers,  and  malice  which  had  made 
her  life  so  cheerless  and  forlorn,  so  hard  to  endure  during  the 
past  year. 

So  absorbed  did  she  become  thinking  of  this,  that  she  did 
not  hear  the  carriage  when  it  turned  in  at  the  gate  and  came 
smoothly  rolling  up  over  the  hard,  graveled  drive-way,  and  it 
had  almost  reached  the  door  before  she  was  aware  that  at  last 
the  noted,  titled  stranger  had  arrived.  , 

She  leaned  out  to  look  as  the  spirited  horses  were  reined  in 
before  the  porch,  and  the  sound  of  laughter  and  gay  voices 
came  floating  up  to  her  ears. 

A  tall,  darkly  clad  figure  sprang  out  and  held  forth  a  hand 
to  assist  Josephine  to  alight ;  but  a  massive  post  was  in  the  way, 
and  she  could  not  see  his  face.  Mr.  Richards  followed  the 
young  people,  and  they  all  passed  up  the  steps  together. 

It  was  a  pretty  picture  that  she  looked  down  upon,  for  now 
she  could  see  all  that  transpired.  Mrs.  Richards,  handsome  as 
any  queen  in  her  elegant  black  silk  dress  and  duchesse  laces, 
her  diamonds  gleaming  like  drops  of  dew  in  a  moonlit  night ; 
Josephine,  bright  and  sparkling  in  an  elaborate  street  dress, 
with  her  jaunty  hat  and  bright  plumes,  standing-  proudly  beside 
the  finely  formed  young  man  as  he  exchanged  greetings  with 
her  mother;  and  Mr.  Richards,  stout  and  comely,  a  perfect 
pattern  of  the  hospitable  host,  with  his  good-natured  face,  which 
was  expressive  of  a  most  cordial  welcome. 

But  Star  had  grown  suddenly  pale  as  snow,  and  caught  her 
breath  convulsively,  as  a  clear,  manly  laugh  rang  out  on  the 
air  at  some  jest  of  Josephine's,  and  then  the  stranger  turned, 
hat  in  hand,  having  made  his  bow  to  his  hostess,  to  speak  to 
Mr.  Richards,  and  thus  she  could  look  directly  into  his  face. 

There  was  a  look  of  horror  in  her  eyes  as  they  were  fasten«4 


ifo          "WHY   HAS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING?" 

• 

upon  that  handsome  face,  her  lips  were  drawn  and  pinched, 
and  the  pain  that  was  clutching  at  her  heart  betrayed  itself  in  a 
low,  sobbing  moan. 

There  was  no  mistake — although  she  could  scarcely  credit 
her  own  senses — she  knew  that  dark,  chestnut- crowned  head, 
that  handsome,  smiling  face,  that  straight,  stalwart  form  but  too 
well,  even  though  a  cruel  mist  was  creeping  up  before  her  eyes 
to  hide  him  from  her  sight.  She  knew  that  clear,  ringing 
voice,  even  though  the  roaring  sound  in  her  ears  seemed 
striving  to  drown  it.  Josephine's  guest — her  accepted  lover 
she  had  tried  to  make  it  appear — the  titled  stranger,  Lord 
Cairol,  of  Carrolton,  was  no  other  than  her  betrothed,  Archibald 
Sherbrookel 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

"WHY    HAS    HE    DONE    THIS    THING?" 

What  could  this  strange  thing  mean?  What  was  Archibald 
Sherbrooke — the  man  who,  two  days  before,  had  told  her  that 
he  loved  her  and  no  other — doing  there  in  that  character  of 
Lord  Carrol?  Why  was  he  there,  laughing,  chatting,  and  ex 
changing  greetings  in  that  familiar  way  with  Mrs.  Richards  and 
her  family? 

Star's  heart  nearly  ceased  its  beating ;  she  grew  faint,  giddy, 
ind  absolutely  soul-sick.  Her  face  paled  until  it  was  as  white 
is  those  cold,  waxen  berries  at  her  throat ;  her  very  life-blood 
seemed  to  be  congealing. 

What  could  it  mean  ? 

Looking  down  upon  the  little  group,  she  saw  that  Josephine's 
eyes  weie  fastened  upon  him — her  lover — with  an  expression 


"WHY   HAS    HE    DONE    TfftS    THlNGf"          163 

that  there  was  no  mistaking.  It  was  full  of  pride  and  wistful 
affection.  Her  voice  was  low  ani  sweet  when  she  spoke  to 
him,  her  laugh  silvery  clear  as  it  rang  out  upon  the  still  even 
ing  air  at  some  light  jest  of  his ;  and  Star  knew  that  she  loved 
him  deeply,  passionately ;  that  she  would  stop  at  nothing  to 
win  him,  if,  indeed,  he  was  not  already  won.  Oh,  what — what 
could  it  all  mean  ? 

It  was  cruel,  cruel  as  death,  to  have  her  short,  bright  dream 
shattered  thus;  to  have  given  all  the  wealth  of  her  warm  young 
heart  to  the  handsome  young  stranger  who  had  called  himself 
Archibald  Sherbrooke,  and  now  to  discover  him  to  be  a  myth — 
that  there  was  no  such  person,  that  she  had  been  made  the 
plaything  of  an  idle  hour.  And  yet  it  had  all  appeared  so 
real;  he  had  seemed  so  true  and  loyal,  and  to  have  loved  her 
so  fondly. 

But  stay — might  she  not  be  jumping  to  conclusions,  after  all  ? 

A  different  solution  to  the  mystery  flashed  into  her  mind. 
She  started  eagerly  up,  the  color  coming  back  to  her  face,  a 
joyful  light  flashing  into  her  eyes. 

Archie  had  told  her  that  he  should  "come  to  her  Monday  or 
Tuesday — that  he  could  not  wait  longer;"  but  she  had  not 
thought  he  would  come  to-night.  She  did  expect  him  to 
morrow,  and  perhaps  he  had  arrived. 

On  the  other  hand,  Lord  Carrol  had,  perchance,  disappointed 
his  friends.  They  had  gone  to  meet  him,  and  had  not  found 
him  as  they  expected. 

Archie,  very  likely,  had  taken  the  same  train  from  New  York 
that  his  lordship  had  intended  to  take,  and  on  arriving  had  in 
quired  of  some  one  for  the  street  and  number  that  she  had 
written  on  the  card  for  him  ;  the  individual  whom  he  asked 
might  have  known  it  was  Mr.  Richards'  residence — for  he  was 
well  known  there — directed  him,  and  he,  on  learning  the  man's 
errand,  had  probably,  with  his  usual  good  nature,  invited  him 
to  take  a  seat  in  his  carriage,  and  had  driven  him  home 


1 64  "WHY   HAS    HE    DONE    THIS    THING?" 

Thus  she  r  ,<isoned  with  her  aching,  fear-burdened  heart, 
clutching  at  this  little  ray  of  hope  as  a  drowning  man  clutches 
at  a  straw. 

But  he  did  not  appear  like  a  stranger  to  any  of  them  ;  neither 
did  Josephine  seem  like  the  disappointed  girl  she  probably 
would  have  been  if  her  expected  lover  had  not  arrived.  She 
was  chatting  and  laughing  with  him  in  the  most  friendly  way ; 
her  face  was  glowing  with  happiness ;  her  tones  and  her  laughter 
were  musical  from  very  joy. 

With  these  doubts  mingling  with  her  sudden  hope,  Star 
leaned  forward,  eagerly  listening  for  him  to  inquire  for  her; 
but  the  words  which  came  floating  up  to  her  smote  her  heart 
with  a  deadly  pain,  drove  the  color  back  again  from  her  face, 
and  made  the  love-light  in  her  eyes  change  to  a  look  of  mortal 
agony  and  despair. 

"My  lord,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  graciously,  "we  will  not 
keep  you  standing  here;  the  drawing-room,  where  we  have 
other  friends  waiting  to  meet  you,  is  more  inviting,  and  our 
dinner  will  soon  be  served." 

And  my  lord,  with  his  most  charming  smile  and  bow, 
replied  : 

"Mrs.  Richards,  you  have  given  me  a  most  hospitable  wel 
come  to  your  delightful  home,  and  I  shall  be  happy  to  meet 
your  friends ;"  and  giving  his  arm  to  Josephine,  he  followed  his 
hostess  within,  to  be  presented  to  the  other  guests  who  had 
been  invited  to  meet  him. 

All  hope  was  gone  now — they  had  called  him  Lord  Carrol 
and  he  had  replied*  and,  stricken  with  despair,  Star  slipped 
from  her  chair  like  one  from  which  all  life  had  been  suddenly 
smitten,  and  fell  prone  upon  the  floor,  where  she  lay  in  a  semi 
conscious  state  for  more  than  an  hour. 

But  when  at  length  thought  and  feeling  began  to  return  to 
her,  she  wondered  if  she  were  herself  or  some  one  else  who 


"WHY    HAS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING?" 


I65 


had  lived  through  a  century  of  misery — youth  and  happiness, 
joy  and  hope  seemed  to  be  attributes  of  an  age  so  long  gone  by, 

"Why  has  he  done  this  thing?"  she  moaned,  sitting  up  and 
clasping  her  icy  hands  across  her  burning  brow.  "Why  has 
he  deceived  me  thus,  making  a  fool  and  a  plaything  of  me 
merely  to  pass  an  idle  hour?  Why  did  he  call  himself  Archi 
bald  Sherbrooke,  when  he  is  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton.  Why 
could  he  not  have  left  me  alone  when  I  was  content  with  my 
music,  my  studies,  and  my  simple  life?  Ohl  why  need  my 
whole  future  be  blighted  thus?  I  could  have  gone  on  my  way 
— I  could  have  carried  out  my  plans  and  gratified  my  ambition 
to  become  a  teacher  and  be  independent,  and  believed  myself 
happy,  if  he  had  left  me  to  myself.  But  now — if  I  could  only 
die — if  I  could  even  go  mad — anything  to  make  me  forget  how 
I  have  allowed  myself  to  love  him,  and  built  all  my  future 
hopes  on  his  love  for  me  !" 

The  sound  of  gay  voices  and  laughter  came  floating  up  to 
her  from  below  as  she  sat  there  mourning  her  blighted  life ;  it 
smote  her  like  the  stab  of  a  knife,  and  she  shivered  from  head 
to  foot,  every  nerve  cringing  with  keenest  pain. 

In  imagination  she  could  see  how  Josephine  was  assuming 
her  most  bewitching  airs  to  win  the  treacherous  man  who  had 
blotted  out  every  hope  of  joy  from  her  existence,  and  who,  per 
haps,  was  bending  over  her,  speaking  soft  and  tender  words, 
even  as  he  had  done  to  her  only  two  days  ago. 

Yesterday  and  the  day  before  she  had  lived  upon  the  moun 
tain-tops —  "upon  the  heights" — where  life  had  seemed  opening 
out  before  her  like  a  paradise ;  to-night,  in  a  single  moment, 
she  had  been  hurled  into  the  very  depths  of  misery. 

She  got  up  from  the  floor,  tottered  to  the  window  and  shut 
it,  to  keep  out  those  hateful  sounds  from  below  which  nearly 
drove  her  into  a  frenzy ;  then,  too  weak  to  sit  up,  she  crept  into 
her  bed,  where  she  lay  shaking  as  with  an  ague  and  moaning 
x-ith  pain  all  the  long  night  through. 


l66  "WHY   HAS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING f" 

Morning  found  her  burning  with  fever,  with  an  aching  head 
and  a  crushed  and  breaking  heart. 

She  could  not  rise,  and,  although  faint,  the  very  thought  of 
food  rilled  her  with  loathing,  and  yet  her  throat  and  mouth 
were  dry  and  hot  with  a  terrible  thirst. 

Thus  good  Mrs.  Blunt  found  her  about  ten  o'clock.  She 
had  missed  her  from  breakfast — something  very  unusual,  for 
Star  was  as  prompt  as  the  day  itself  generally — but  she  had 
not  had  time  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  her  absence  until 
now,  for  there  had  been  lively  doings  down  in  her  department 
that  morning. 

"  Merciful  sakes  alive  !  whatever  in  the  world  has  happened 
to  you,  Miss  Star?"  she  cried,  when,  on  thrusting  her  heated 
face  in  at  the  door,  she  saw  the  young  girl  in  her  wretched  con 
dition  lying  on  the  bed. 

"I  believe  I  do  not  feel  very  well  this  morning,"  Star  said, 
wearily. 

"  I  should  think  not,  indeed  !  You've  got  a  high  fever,  and 
yet  you're  shaking  with  the  cold.  Goodness  gracious,  child ! 
and  you  all  dressed  out  like  this,  too  !  What  has  happened?" 
Mrs.  Blunt  cried,  aghast,  as  she  pulled  back  the  coverlid  and 
saw  at  a  glance  that  she  had  been  lying  all  night  in  her 
clothing. 

Star  was  too  miserable  to  explain,  as  the  good  woman  saw, 
and  she  did  not  press  her  with  questions ;  but  with  nimble  yet 
tender  hands  she  removed  her  clothing,  replacing  it  with  her 
robe  de  nuit,  and  then  wrapping  her  in  a  heavy  blanket,  she 
tucked  her  snugly  into  bed  once  more. 

She  then  went  down  below,  where  she  prepared  a  steaming 
drink  of  some  kind,  with  which  she  hastened  back  to  her 
patient,  and  insisted  that  she  should  drink  it — "every  drop." 

The  poor  child  obeyed,  feeling  too  wretched  to  offer  any 
objections;  and  then  saturating  a  napkin  with  camphor  and 
water,  Mrs.  Blunt  bound  it  about  her  aching  head,  and  dark- 


WHY    HAS    HE    DVWE     TlJte     TTTIJfGf"  iQj 

ening  the  room,  bade  her  go  to  sleep  again  as  quickly  as 
possible,  for  of  course  school  was  not  to  be  thought  of  that 
day ;  and  indeed  Star  had  forgotten  the  existence  of  such  an 
institution. 

The  hot  drink  warmed  and  soothed  her,  while  the  kind 
attention  of  the  woman  comforted  her ;  and  exhausted  nature 
asserting  itself,  she  soon  dropped  into  a  profound  slumber. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  she  awoke  again,  and 
realized  that  she  was  much  refreshed  physically,  although  her 
burden  of  misery  was  still  crushing  down  upon  her  heart. 

Mrs.  Blunt  found  her  as  white  and  wan  as  she  had  been 
flushed  and  feverish,  when  she  looked  in  upon  her  again  just 
before  dinner,  and  she  could  not  understand  the  look  of  hope 
less  despair  that  lay  in  her  usually  bright  and  joyous  eyes. 

"Whatever  in  the  world  is  the  matter  with  you,  Miss  Star?" 
she  asked,  anxiously.  "It'll  be  bad  luck  for  me  if  you're  going 
to  be  sick,  for  since  you  came  into  the  house,  with  your  bright 
face  and  cheery  ways,  the  days  and  months  have  grown  shorter 
by  half.  Come,  come,  chicken,  don't  look  so  downcast;  it 
breaks  my  heart  to  see  you  so  white  and  drooping." 

"I  shall  be  all  right  by  to-morrow,  Mrs.  Blunt.  I  am  better 
already,  thanks  to  your  kind  care,"  Star  returned,  sitting  up  in 
bed  and  trying  to  bring  her  shattered  nerves  into  better  order. 
"If  you  will  please  hand  me  my  school  dress,"  she  added,  "  I 
think  I  will  get  up  and  take  a  run  down  to  the  lodge.  I  have 
not  seen  Uncle  Jacob  since  yesterday  morning,  and  he  will 
wonder  what  has  become  of  me. " 

"Indeed,  child,  you  mustn't  go  out  to-night,  and  as  for  Mr. 
Rosevelt,  he  knows  all  about  you  already.  I  sent  word  to  him 
before  noon  that  you  wasn't  able  to  go  to  school,  and  he's  been 
up  to  the  house  twice  since  to  inquire  for  you.  He  sets  a  store 
by  you,  Miss  Star,  and  I  believe  it  would  break  his  heart  if 
anything  was  to  happen  to  you." 

A  wan  little  smile  flitted  over  Star's  face. 


l6S          "WHY   HAS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING?" 

It  was  about  the  only  ray  of  light  or  comfort  that  she  had  in 
her  great  darkness — this  knowledge  that  there  was  one  who  did 
really  love  her,  and  to  whom  she  also  was  almost  a  necessity. 

She  could  rely  on  "Uncle  Jacob,"  if  upon  no  one  else,  and 
she  longed  to  go  to  him  and  iean  upon  him  now  in  her  trouble. 
Of  course  she  could  not  tell  him  how  she  had  let  handsome, 
fascinating  Archibald  Sherbrooke  win  her  heart  from  her,  and 
then  found  all  too  late  how  cruelly  she  had  been  deceived. 
She  was  so  thankful  now  that  she  had  not  allowed  him  to  tell 
Mr.  Rosevelt  as  he  had  wished,  though,  perhaps,  that  had  only 
been  another  ruse  of  his,  and  he  had  not  intended  to  tell  him, 
after  all ;  but  it  would  be  a  comfort  to  go  down  to  the  lodge 
and  see  him,  and  listen  to  the  kindly  tones  of  his  voice. 

Mrs.  Blunt  helped  her  to  dress,  for  she  saw  that  she  was  jjlad 
to  sit  down  by  the  window — though  she  shuddered  as  she  re 
membered  that  she  had  sat  just  there  last  night  when  her  heart 
had  been  broken — and  rest,  while  she  began  to  fear  that  she 
should  not  be  able  to  get  down  stairs,  after  all,  that  night  to  go 
to  see  Mr.  Rosevelt. 

Mrs.  Blunt  watched  her  closely  with  those  small,  keen  eyes 
of  hers,  and  saw  that  hex  trouble  was  more  of  the  mind  than 
of  the  body,  though  what  could  have  caused  it  was  a  puzzle 
to  her. 

She  did  not  trouble  her  with  conversation,  but  after  making 
her  room  tidy,  she  went  quietly  out  and  left  her  alone.  She 
returned  after  a  little  while,  however,  bringing  her  a  bowl  of 
hot  soup  and  a  plate  of  nice  little  biscuits. 

"You  are  very  good  to  me,  Mrs.  Blunt,"  Star  said,  grate 
fully;  and  she  ate  the  soup  with  a  relish,  for  she  was  very 
faint  and  hungry,  while  the  housekeeper  looked  on  with  a 
satisfied  air  as  she  saw  a  tinge  of  color  coming  back  to  her 
pale  face. 

' '  Somebody  else  was  good  to  a  poor  old  woman  yesterday, 
or  I'm  much  mistaken,  and  I  reckon  it'll  take  a  good  while  for 


WHY   HAS    HE    DONE    THIS    THING?" 


169 


you  and  me  to  be  quits  on  that  day's  work,"  the  kind-hearted 
creature  returned,  a  tear  starting  to  her  eyes  as  she  remem 
bered  how  bright  and  happy  the  fair  girl  had  been  during 
those  long  hours  while  she  had  worked  so  busily  and  patiently 
with  her. 

But  she  could  not  stay  with  her,  much  as  she  wished  to  do 
so,  and  try  to  bring  back  her  truant  smiles,  for  her  many  duties 
called  her  below,  and  she  went  away,  cautioning  Star  to  be  very 
caieful  and  not  take  more  cold. 

Left  alone,  the  unhappy  girl  felt  that  she  must  get  out  and 
away  from  that  close  room  where  she  had  suffered  so  much  ; 
she  must  do  something  to  make  her  forget,  or  her  brain  would 
be  turned. 

So,  wrapping  a  shawl  about  her,  she  stole  down  a  back  way, 
out  by  a  side  door  into  the  grounds,  and  taking  a  circuitous 
path,  made  her  way  as  rapidly  as  her  strength  would  permit 
toward  the  lodge. 

She  had  accomplished  about  half  the  distance  when  her 
limbs  began  to  fail  her,  and  she  became  so  weak  and  faint  from 
the  exertion  she  had  made  that  she  was  obliged  to  stop  and 
lean  against  the  trunk  of  a  large  tree  to  rest  awhile. 

It  was  nearly  dark,  for  the  sun  had  gone  down  and  the  heavy 
foliage  of  the  surrounding  trees  made  deep  shadows  all  about 
her ;  the  air  was  chill  with  the  breath  of  the  frost  spirit — so 
different  from  the  mild  loveliness  which  had  prevailed  only 
forty-eight  hours  before— and  the  rustling  leaves  above  her 
seemed  mourning  over  the  fate  awaiting  them,  when  its  cold 
hand  should  sway  their  frail  stems  and  lay  them  low. 

A  feeling  of  unutterable  woe  overcame  her — such  a  sense  of 
loneliness  and  desolation  that  she  could  not  bear  it ;  and  cover 
ing  her  face  with  her  hands,  she  gave  way  to  the  flood  of  tears 
which  would  not  be  restrained. 

She  had  no  idea  how  long  she  wept — time,  place,  everything 
was  lost  in  the  utter  abandonment  of  her  grief— until  she  was 


170 


"WHY    HAS    HE    DONE     'JHfS     THING? 


aroused,  and  a  thrill  of  terror  went  tingling  through  all  hex 
nerves,  as  a  hand  fell  suddenly  yet  lightly  upon  her  shoulder. 

With  a  start,  her  hands  dropped  from  her  tear-stained  face 
and  she  looked  up,  to  find  the  grave,  questioning  eyes  of  her 
faithless  lover  looking  down  into  her  own. 

A  low  cry  of  surprise  and  dismay  escaped  him  as  he  recog 
nized  her. 

"Star!  My  darling,  what  does  this  mean?"  he  asked,  in 
astonishment.  "How  came  you  here,  and  why  do  I  find  you 
grieving  thus?  You  look  more  like  some  stricken  white  dove 
than  like  my  bright,  beautiful  star.  I  was  coming  to  you  to 
morrow — I  wanted  to  come  to-day,  but  I  could  not.  Tell  me, 
dear,  how  is  it  I  find  you  here  in  the  grounds  of  Mr.  Richards, 
where  I  am  visiting?"  and  he  would  have  gathered  her  into  his 
arms,  but  by  a  quick  movement  she  evaded  him,  and  stepping 
back  a  few  paces,  she  confronted  him  with  a  haughty  uplifting 
of  her  small  head,  her  face  and  eyes  glowing  with  scorn  and 
indignation. 

"To-morrow  you  would  have  come  to  me, "she  repeated, 
with  curling  lips.  "  Pray,  where  would  you  have  sought  me?" 

"  Here  in  Yonkers,  at  No.  56 street.  I  think  that  was 

the  address  you  wrote  on  the  card,"  he  said,  apparently  be 
wildered  by  her  strange  conduct,  and  regarding  her  with  a 
troubled  look.  "  I  wanted  to  go  there  to-day,  but  there  has 
been  no  opportunity,"  he  said  again.  "And  to-morrow  I  was 
intending  to  ask  Mr.  Richards  to  direct  me  to  the  address 
which  you  gave  me. " 

"Do  you  know  the  street  and  number  of  this  residence?" 
Star  asked,  sternly. 

"No.  When  it  was  arranged  that  I  should  come  here  to 
make  a  short  visit,  Mrs.  Richards  was  so  kind  as  to  say  that  her 
carriage  should  meet  me  at  the  station,  so  that  I  do  not  even 
know  the  name  of  the  street  on  which  they  live." 

"Then  to-morrow,  when  you  should  ask  to  be  directed  to 


"WHY   IMS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING?"  171 

the  address  which  I  gave  you — if,  indeed,  you  intended  to  ask 
for  it — you  would  have  been  told  that  you  would  find  me  here 
in  this  place — this  house.  Mr.  Richards'  residence  is  No.  56 
street,"  Star  said,  proudly  and  coldly. 

She  had  no  faith  in  him ;  she  believed  he  was  acting  a  part 

"  Impossible  !"  he  cried.  "I  never  dreamed  of  such  a  thing. 
Why,  then,  have  I  not  seen  you?  Why  were  you  not  with  the 
family  when  I  arrived  last  night?  Why  have  I  not  seen  you 
to-day?"  he  asked,  as  if  more  and  more  astonished. 

"  Because, "  she  answered,  her  voice  rising,  with  a  scornful, 
bitter  ring,  "I  am  a  dependent  upon  the  bounty  of  the  rich; 
because  I  am  a  burden  and  expense  in  a  house  of  luxury,  and 
only  tolerated  on  account  of  a  promise  made  to  my  dying 
father  and  to  cancel  a  debt  due  to  my  mother.  You  have 
not  seen  me,  because  I  am  not  allowed  to  breathe  the  same 
air,  eat  and  drink,  and  sit  at  the  same  table  with  those  who 
think  they  are  of  finer  mold  than  I.  But  it  is  just  as  well, 
my  lord " 

"  My  lord  !"  he  repeated,  in  a  startled  tone,  interrupting  her. 
"Star,  that  from  you/" 

She  laughed  bitterly,  lifting  her  head  with  a  haughty  gesture, 
though  her  face  gleamed  like  a  piece  of  marble  in  the  waning 
light. 

"Yes,  that  from  me!"  she  said.  "Fortunately,  I  was  at  a 
window  above  the  entrance  when  you  arrived  last  evening,  and 
witnessed  the  honors  that  were  heaped  upon  my  Lord  Carrol, 
of  Carrolton,  and  the  revelation  of  your  true  character,  although 
a  sudden  and  bitter  one  to  me,  was,  perhaps,  after  all,  a  provi 
dential  one ;  for,  if  it  showed  me  how  I  had  been  duped  and 
betrayed,  how  I  had  been  made  the  plaything  of  an  idle  hour, 
it  also  gave  me  time  to  collect  my  scattered  senses  a  trifle  before 
meeting  you  and  telling  you  how  I  scorn  you  for " 

"Duped!  betrayed!  plaything!    Star,  listen  to  me, "  pleaded 


172  "WHY   HAS    HE    DONE     THIS    THING?* 

the  young  man,  his  breath  almost  taken  away  by  these  startling 
accusations  and  by  her  wild  words,  so  full  of  derision  and  pain. 

" I  will  not  listen  to  you  !"  she  cried,  passionately;  "I  have 
listened  to  you  too  much  already.  Oh !  why  did  you  do  this 
wicked  thing?  Why  could  you  not  have  left  me  alone?  Had 
you  not  enough  already,  with  your  riches,  your  title,  and  your 
life  of  pleasure,  without  coming  in  cruel  sport  to  spoil  a  poor 
young  girl's  life?  Was  it  not  enough  that  you  could  woo  and 
win  the  heiress,  the  belle  and  beauty  of  Long  Branch,  without 
the  amusement  of  trying  to  win  and  break  my  poor  heart?" 

''Star!  Star!"  he  cried,  drawing  nearer  the  excited  girl. 
"What  wild,  wild  words!  Every  one  is  like  a  dagger  plunged 
into  my  heart.  You  do  not  know  what  you  are  saying,  dear. 
I  try  to  win  and  break  your  heart !  My  poor  darling,  you  have 
been  misled  by  having  learned  of  my  title.  I  should  have  told 
you  before,  but " 

"Then  you  are  Lord  Carrol?  You  own  it — you  acknowl* 
edge  it?"  Star  interrupted,  with  a  ring  of  wild  despair  in  her 
tones. 

When  she  had  looked  up  into  his  face,  into  his  kind  and 
loving  eyes;  when  she  had  heard  his  voice,  so  low  and  eager, 
yet  tender;  when  he  had  called  her  "his  poor  darling,"  and 
said  her  words  were  like  a  dagger  plunged  into  his  heart,  her 
own  had  begun  to  thrill  anew,  and  she  almost  hoped  against 
hope  that  there  was  after  all  some  mistake,  in  spite  of  what  she 
had  seen  and  heard. 

But  now  he  owned  it.  He  was  not  Archibald  Sherbrookt 
at  all ;  he  was  the  titled  peer,  and  he  had  sought  to  win  her 
love  under  false  colors ;  and  all  the  pain,  and  bitterness,  and 
scorn  returned,  even  while  she  waited  breathlessly  for  his 
answer. 

"Yes,  I  am  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton;  but,  Star " 

"That  is  enough;  I  want  to  hear  no  more,"  she  said,  stop- 


"WHY   HAS    HE    DONE     TUTS    TH1WV?"  173 

ping  him  with  an  authoritative  gesture  of  her  white  hand.  "I 
will  not  listen  to  another  word  from  your  traitorous  lips !" 

She  turned  proudly  from  him  and  would  have  left  him,  but 
he  sprang  forward  and  seized  her  hands. 

They  were  cold  as  ice  and  shaking  as  with  palsy,  and  he  was 
shocked  by  the  hopelessness  visible  in  her  face  as  he  looked 
down  upon  it. 

"Star,  my  darling,"  he  began,  in  a  voice  that  was  almost 
stern  from  emotion ;  ' '  you  shall  listen  to  me.  It  is  my  right 
to  be  heard,  and  I  can  explain  everything  to  you  if  you  will  but 
give  me  the  opportunity." 

But  she  would  not.  Pain,  despair,  outraged  pride  and  affec~ 
tion  made  her  unreasonable  and  almost  insane. 

She  flashed  a  haughty  glance  up  at  him. 

"  Lord  Carrol, "  she  said,  in  her  iciest  tones,  "release  my 
hands,  if  you  please." 

He  dropped  them  as  if  they  had  been  coals  of  fire,  and  drew 
back  a  pace  or  two  from  her,  deeply  wounded,  while  his  own 
face  was  nearly  as  white  and  pained  as  hers, 

"Star,  you  are  wronging  me  more  than  you  dream.  Surely 
you  will  listen  to  my  defense, "  he  said,  and  his  voice  trembled 
with  suppressed  feeling. 

Oh,  how  she  longed  to  yield  and  allow  him  to  win  her  back; 
how  she  longed  to  let  him  take  her  into  his  strong  arms,  and 
hear  him  murmur  again  those  tender  words  such  as  he  had 
spoken  to  her  so  recently ;  but,  remembering  his  attentions  to 
Josephine  last  night,  her  looks  of  affection  and  pride,  her 
bright  face  and  happy  laugh — remembering  what  she  had  heard 
regarding  his  devotion  to  her  at  Long  Branch,  and  the  reason 
that  had  been  given  for  his  coming  there  to  her  home,  she 
could  not. 

He  had  played  the  role  of  rich  lover  to  the  proud  heiress ; 
he  had  acted  that  of  a  poor  sweetheart  with  her ;  for  had  he 
not  told  her  he  was  an  artist,  but  hoped  to  be  able  to  take  care 


174 


HAS    HE    DONE     THIS     THING? 


of  her,  so  that  she  need  never  know  the  meaning  of  the  words 
poor  and  dependent  again ;  and  now,  with  all  this  evidence 
before  her,  how  could  she  help  believing  him  false  to  the  core — 
to  have  simply  amused  himself  at  her  expense? 

"You  can  have  no  defense  to  offer  me,  and  I  will  hear 
nothing,"  she  returned,  coldly.  "You  have  deceived  me  most 
cruelly ;  you  came  to  me  as  Archibald  Sherbrooke ;  you  used 
all  your  powers  of  fascination  to  make  me  love  you  as  a  poor 
artist,  while  you  had  already  played  the  part  of  a  rich  lover  in  a 
different  character  at  a  fashionable  watering-place.  I  congratu 
late  you  upon  your  marvelous  success  as  an  actor,  my  lord," 
she  concluded,  with  scathing  sarcasm. 

A  deep  sigh  broke  from  him  ;  her  words  hurt  him  keenly, 
for  he  was  very  proud. 

But  he  saw  how  she  was  suffering,  and  he  tried  to  be  patient 
with  her,  feeling  sure  that  if  he  could  only  make  her  listen  to 
him  all  would  be  well. 

"  My  dear,"  he  said,  gently,  "you  do  not  understand.  Pray, 
let  me  tell  you  all  about  it.  I  swear  that  I  am  both — 

"You  need  not  swear;  I  know  enough  already.  Go  back 
to  my  more  fortunate  cousin,  Miss  Richards,  whom  the  whole 
household  expects  you  intend  to  make  Lady  Carrol.  She,  I 
own,  is  better  fitted  to  be  the  bride  of  a  peer  of  England  than 
the  poor  alien  who  is  a  burden  upon  her  bounty.  She  will 
grace  your  proud  home  and  name  with  her  beauty ;  she  will 
add  to  your  riches  with  her  wealth.  But  let  me  tell  you  " — 
and  Star  had  no  idea  how  superbly  beautiful  she  was  as  she 
stood  so  proudly  before  him  and  uttered  this  prophetic  sen 
tence —  ''that  the  girl  whom  she  has  despised  and  insulted, 
whom  you  have  deceived,  and  whose  life  you  have  blighted  by 
your  treachery,  will  yet  rise  to  a  position  that  shall  shame  and 
humiliate  you  both.  Go  back  to  her,  I  say,  and — ask  her  for 
the  cameo  which  you  gave  me.  I  told  you  that  I  had  lost  it 
I  put  it  that  way  because  I  did  not  like  to  tell  you  how  badly  I 


EXPLANA  TIONS. 


'75 


had  been  used  by  those  who  should  have  given  me  only  sym 
pathy  and  love;  but  she — the  girl  whom  you  have  come  to  win 
for  your  wife — stole  it  from  me,  my  one  little  treasure,  the  only 
ornament  I  had  which  I  could  wear  in  my  humble  position, 
and  which  I  prized  more  than  anything  else  in  the  world.  But 
let  her  keep  it ;  1  relinquish  it  freely,  now  that  I  have  dis 
covered  the  baseness  of  the  giver.  My  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrol- 
ton,  alias  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  the  artist,  I  despise  you,  an</ 
I  bid  you  farewell !" 

She  was  gone  before  he  could  hardly  realize  that  she  had 
ceased  speaking;  she  had  sped  down  the  avenue  with  the  light 
ness  and  swiftness  of  a  fawn,  leaving  him  dazed,  bewildered, 
almost  paralyzed  from  the  wild  words,  the  terrible  denunciation? 
which  she  had  uttered. 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

EXPLANATIONS. 

"Star!  Starl  my  dear  love,  come  back  and  let  me  undeceive 
you,"  he  called  aloud,  as  soon  as  he  could  recover  his  senses 
sufficiently  to  speak. 

But  there  was  no  answering  sound,  save  the  sad  sighing  of 
the  rustling  leaves  which  had  so  unnerved  the  unhappy  girl  a 
few  minutes  before. 

He  followed  the  direction  she  had  taken.  He  wandered 
about  the  grounds  for  full  half  an  hour,  but  could  discover  no 
trace  of  her;  and  at  last,  feeling  greatly  disturbed,  he  was  ob 
liged  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  returned  to  the  mansion. 

He  had  strolled  forth  at  the  close  of  dinner  to  smoke,  and 


1 76  EXPLANATIONS. 

to  get  away  for  a  little  quiet  musing,  for  he  had  intended,  as  he 
said,  to  seek  out  his  beautiful  love  on  the  morrow,  and  put 
upon  one  of  her  white  fingers  the  seal  to  their  plighted  troth, 
and,  this  done,  to  tell  her  that  he  was  both  an  artist  and  a  peer 
of  Victoria's  realm. 

During  his  stroll,  and  while  thinking  fondly  of  the  bright 
girl,  he  had  unconsciously  strayed  into  the  very  avenue  where 
Star  had  stopped  to  rest. 

Wrapped  in  her  heavy  shawl,  and  with  head  bowed  upon  her 
hands,  he  had  not  recognized  her,  but  thought  it  might  be  one 
of  the  servants,  perhaps,  who  had  got  into  some  trouble. 

Always  ready  to  relieve  suffering  of  whatever  nature,  he 
stepped  up  to  the  sobbing  girl  and  gently  laid  his  hand  upon 
her  shoulder  to  attract  her  attention,  and  when  the  tear-stained, 
suffering  face  of  his  own  love  was  lifted  to  his.  his  astonish 
ment  rendered  him  speechless  for  the  moment. 

But  it  was  a  fact,  nevertheless,  that  he  had  appeared  in  dif 
ferent  places  in  different  characters — he  was  at  once  Archibald 
Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton;  how,  we  must  let 
his  own  words  explain. 

"Poor  child!  it  is  very  awkward,  and  I  never  dreamed  of 
any  such  denouement;  but  I  cannot  blame  her.  If  she  would 
but  have  given  me  one  moment  in  which  to  tell  her  how  it  is; 
but  she  was  wild  with  pain,"  he  said,  with  a  troubled  face,  as 
he  slowly  went  back  to  the  house. 

It  is  doubtless  now  made  plain  to  the  reader  how  he  had 
happened  to  recognize  the  cameo  ring  upon  Josephine's  hand 
at  Long  Branch,  and  knew  at  once  that  it  was  the  very  stone 
which  he  had  given  Star  at  parting  on  shipboard. 

He  did  not  like  to  question  Miss  Richards  about  it,  but  he 
was  deeply  hurt  when  she  told  him  that  it  had  been  given  her 
by  a  relative,  for  he  felt  sure  that  he  could  not  be  mistaken  in 
the  stone — there  could  not  be  another  like  it,  for  he  had  de 
signed  the  figure  upon  it  himself, 


EXPLANA  T10NS. 


177 


Yet,  to  be  quite  positive  about  it,  he  had  told  her  that  it  had 
belonged  to  a  gentleman  named  Archibald  Sherbrooke;  and 
then  when  he  saw  her  start,  and  the  color  flame  into  her  face, 
he  knew  that  Star  had  parted  with  it  for  some  reason  or  other. 
It  had  caused  him  a  pang  to  know  that  she  should  have  prized 
it  so  lightly  as  to  give  it  away,  while  he  had  treasured  that  lock 
of  gold  as  one  of  the  most  precious  things  in  his  possession, 
and  had  learned  to  love  the  face  which  he  had  painted  as  he 
never  expected  to  love  any  object  on  earth. 

Then  he  had  met  Star,  and  she  had  told  him — not  that  she 
had  given  his  gift  away,  but  that  she  had  "lost"  it 

The  two  stories  did  not  agree,  but  looking  into  her  glorious, 
truthful  eyes,  he  had  believed  her,  and  felt  that  some  time  she 
would  make  the  mystery  plain. 

He  had  told  her,  on  parting  from  her  Saturday  evening,  that 
he  should  come  to  her  Monday  or  Tuesday,  and  he  had  really 
intended  doing  so,  and  was  deeply  disappointed  at  not  being 
able  to  keep  his  promise. 

But  all  day  Tuesday  he  had  seen  no  time  that  he  could 
escape  from  the  company  of  which  he  seemed  to  be  the  center. 
He  had  about  made  up  his  mind  to  ask  Mr.  Richards  to  direct 

him  to  No.  56 street  after  dinner,  and  go  away  to  spend  a 

quiet  evening  with  Star;  but  Mrs.  Richards  upset  this  plan  by 
laying  out  a  programme  in  which  he  would  be  obliged  to  figure 
largely,  and  he  was  forced  to  bear  it  with  what  patience  he 
could,  hoping  that  the  morrow  would  bring  him  the  oppor 
tunity  he  desired. 

He  had  never  imagined  that  he  could  be  a  guest  in  the  very 
house  which  he  was  so  anxious  to  visit,  and  which  was  the 
home  of  his  beloved ;  and  now  the  knowledge  was  not  pleasing 
to  him,  for  Star's  bitter  words,  and  the  fact  that  she  had  not 
mingled  with  the  family,  told  him  but  too  plainly  how  she  was 
undervalued  there. 

How  she  must  have  suffered,  sitting  at  her  window,  as  she 


i78 


EXPLAKA  TIONS. 


said  she  had  done,  and  been  a  witness  to  the  reception  which 
had  been  tendered  him  by  her  proud,  cold-hearted  relatives; 
and  to  have  been  led,  too,  by  them  to  believe  that  he  had  come 
there  as  a  suitor  for  Josephine's  hand. 

This  had  been  rather  a  startling  and  unpleasant  revelation  to 
him,  for  he  had  never  once  imagined  that  any  such  construction 
would  be  put  upon  his  visit  there. 

He  had  been  drawn  toward  Mrs.  Richards  upon  first  meeting 
her,  for  she  was  really  a  fascinating  woman,  and  upon  learning 
that  she  was  of  English  extraction,  and  that  he  knew  some 
thing  of  her  relatives,  he  at  once  felt  almost  like  an  old  ac 
quaintance,  and  in  this  way  had  been  led  to  attach  himself  to 
her  party. 

Josephine  was  a  brilliant  and  attractive  girl,  and  had  made 
herself  very  agreeable  to  him,  and  he  liked  her  as  a  friend  and 
acquaintance ;  but  no  thought  of  love  for  her  had  ever  entered 
his  mind.  That  fair  face,  with  its  crown  of  gold,  its  starry 
eyes  and  coral  lips,  which  had  lain  upon  his  breast  at  sea, 
ha.t  made  too  deep  an  impression  upon  his  heart  to  be  easily 
forgotten. 

But  now,  just  as  he  thought  he  had  won  her — when  he  was 
on  the  verge  of  claiming  her,  he  found  himself  in  deep  waters, 
from  which  he  feared  it  might  be  somewhat  difficult  to  extricate 
himself. 

Star  had  a  right  to  denounce  him,  believing  what  she  did. 
He  had  parted  from  her  on  Saturday  evening  as  Archibald 
Sherbrooke  and  her  accepted  lover,  while  on  Monday  she  had 
seen  him  driven  in  great  style  to  the  Richards'  mansion,  and 
greeted  as  Lord  Carrol,  and  a  suitor  for  the  brilliant  Josephine's 
hand.  Surely  circumstances  were  against  him. 

"I  must  get  out  of  this  muddle  as  soon  as  possible,"  he  said, 
as  he  ascended  the  steps  and  paused  a  moment  on  the  porch  to 
consider  what  he  ought  to  do. 

Entering  the  house,  he  avoided  the  drawing-room,  where  a 


EXPLANATIONS. 


179 


gay  company  was  assembled,  and  passed  on  to  a  music-room 
which  led  into  the  library. 

Mr.  Richards  was  in  the  latter  room,  seated  at  his  desk,  and 
the  door  between  the  two  was  open.  As  he  saw  his  lordship, 
he  arose  and  came  forward  to  meet  him. 

"Can  I  have  a  few  moments'  conversation  with  you?"  the 
young  man  asked,  gravely. 

"Certainly;  as  many  as  you  wish.  Shall  we  retire  to  the 
privacy  of  the  library?"  returned  Mr.  Richards,  who  at  once 
jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  about  to  receive  a  formal 
proposal  for  the  hand  of  his  daughter. 

So  also  thought  another  listener,  who  happened  to  be  stand 
ing  on  the  veranda  just  outside  the  open  window  of  the  music- 
room,  and  who  had  caught  the  above  sentences. 

" No,"  Lord  Carrol  returned.  "What  I  have  to  say  can  just 
as  well  be  said  here  as  anywhere.  I  find  myself  unexpectedly 
in  a  very  unpleasant  situation,  and  I  have  come  at  once  to  you, 
because  I  consider  a  straightforward  course  the  wisest  always  to 
pursue.  I  wish  to  tell  you  a  little  story,  and  then  ask  your 
assistance  in  correcting  an  awkward  mistake." 

"Anything  that  I  can  do  for  you,  my  lord,  I  shall  be  most 
happy  to  do,"  blandly  affirmed  Mr.  Richards,  little  realizing 
what  he  was  promising,  while  he  followed  the  young  man's 
example  and  sat  down  to  listen  to  his  narrative. 

' '  I  came  over  from   England,    nearly  a  year  ago,   on  the 

steamer ,"  he  began,  "and  on  board  that  vessel  I  met  a 

young  girl  of  great  personal  beauty  and  intelligence,  in  whom 
I  became  intensely  interested.  She  could  not  have  been  more 
than  sixteen  years  of  age,  but  her  mind  was  far  in  advance  of 
both  her  appearance  and  her  years,  while  it  was  evident  that 
she  had  been  reared  with  great  care,  for  every  word  and  act 
betrayed  her  to  be  a  perfect  little  lady,  and  every  day  spent  in 
her  society  only  served  to  make  her  more  attractive  in  my  sight. 
At  parting,  I  gave  her  a  trifle  as  a  souvenir  of  our  pleasant 


180  EXPLANATIONS. 

acquaintance,  and  asked  in  return  for  something  to  keep  in 
memory  of  her.  I  did  not  know  that  I  should  ever  meet  her 
again,  and  had  I  not  done  so,  the  remembrance  of  what  I  had 
enjoyed  in  her  society  would  eventually  have  become,  it  is 
probable,  but  a  pleasant  episode  of  the  past,  although  I  must 
confess  that  her  face  haunted  me  continually. 

"But  I  did  meet  her  again,  and  only  a  very  short  time  ago. 
She  had  changed — developed  into  even  greater  beauty,  and  had 
become  more  mature,  and  I  began  to  realize  at  once  that  I  had 
even  a  deeper  interest  in  her  than  I  had  imagined  possible. 
Subsequent  interviews — for  I  took  pains  to  see  her  often — and 
the  study  of  her  character,  convinced  me  that  I  had  found  the 
woman  whom  I  could  love  with  all  my  heart,  and  whom  I 
should  win  for  my  wife  if  I  could." 

A  rustling  of  the  drapery  at  the  open  window  just  then  made 
the  young  lord  pause;  but  hearing  nothing  more,  he  thought 
the  wind  had  simply  stirred  the  curtains,  and  continued : 

"Within  a  very  few  days  I  have  brought  things  to  a  crisis — 
have,  in  fact,  asked  and  secured  a  promise  from  her  to  become 
my  wife  as  soon  as  she  shall  have  completed  her  education,  and 
I  had  intended  to-morrow  to  seek  an  interview  with  her  friends 
and  make  formal  proposals  for  her  hand. 

"This  may  sound  rather  strange  to  you,  knowing  my  posi 
tion,  and  realizing  something  of  the  prejudice  of  the  English 
against  marrying  outside  the  pale  of  their  own  rank.  But  I  was 
convinced  from  the  first  that  this  young  girl  was  of  good  blood 
and  parentage,  and  upon  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with 
her,  I  have  learned  that  her  mother  was  an  English  lady  from 
an  excellent  family. 

"Now,  what  I  have  to  tell  you,"  Lord  Carrol  continued, 
with  a  smile,  "has  a  slight  touch  of  romance  connected  with 
it.  When  I  left  England,  I  came  away  known  as  Sir  Archibald 
Sherbrooke,  baronet.  Two  months  after  my  arrival  here,  I  was 
notified  of  the  death  of  my  mother's  only  brother — Lord  Carrol, 


EXPLANA  T2ONS.  1 5 1 

of  Carrolton — and  who,  being  a  widower  and  childless,  willed 
his  estates  and  all  that  he  possessed  to  me,  with  the  provision 
that  I  was  to  assume  his  name,  and  consequently  his  title. 

"It  would  have  suited  me  better  to  travel  and  remain  plain 
Archibald  Sherbrooke,  as  I  always  called  myself,  until  my  re 
turn  ;  but  I  was  with  a  company  of  friends — aH  artists,  who 
were  traveling  and  studying  with  an  old  painter — who  knew  all 
the  circumstances,  and  they  would  not  hear  a  word  to  my 
remaining  incognito,  and  insisted  upon  introducing  me  every 
where  by  my  newly  acquired  title. 

"As  plain  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  I  met,  wooed,  and  won 
the  young  lady  of  whom  I  have  told  you,  but  I  intended,  when 
I  formally  asked  for  her  hand,  to  reveal  the  circumstances 
which  have  made  me  Lord  Carrol.  I  have  not  for  a  moment 
thought  of  deceiving  her,  for  I  abhor  double-dealing  of  any 
kind;  but,  notwithstanding,  I  find  myself  in  a  very  awkward 
situation. 

"You  will,  perhaps,  be  surprised  to  learn  that  to-night,  since 
going  out  after  dinner,  I  met  my  betrothed  by  accident,  and 
very  much  to  my  astonishment.  She  had  discovered  that  I 
have  been  sailing  'under  two  flags,'  or,  as  she  supposed,  under 
false  colors.  She  had  heard  of  my  meeting  your  daughter  at 
Long  Branch  as  Lord  Carrol,  and  the  report  seems  to  have  pre 
ceded  me,  much  to  my  surprise" — here  the  young  man  colored 
from  embarrassment — "  that  I  intended  something  more  than 
a  friendly  visit  here,  and  she  has  passionately  denounced  me  for 
my  duplicity — as  it  appears  to  her — and  refused  even  to  allow 
me  to  explain  my  position. 

"This  is  the  mistake  that  I  wish  you  to  help  me  rectify  by 
securing  an  interview  for  me  with  her,  so  that  I  can  exonerate 
myself  from  all  blame  in  her  sight" 

Mr.  Richards  was  greatly  astonished  at  what  he  had'  heard, 
and  in  no  small  degree  disappointed,  for  he  liked  the  young 
man,  and  his  wife  had  affirmed  that  Josephine  was  the  magnet 


i  8  2  EXPLANA  TIONS. 

that  had  drawn  his  lordship  thither,  and  she  had  also  con 
fidently  asserted  that  he  would  propose  for  her  hand  before 
he  left. 

But,  of  course,  he  could  not  betray  anything  of  this  feeling, 
after  having  been  made  the  confidant  of  another  love  affair ; 
therefore  he  said,  with  as  much  self-possession  as  he  could 
command : 

"The  situation  is  somewhat  unpleasant  for  you,  I  admit, 
my  young  friend,  but  I  think  it  may  be  easily  made  right.  I 
must  confess  I  am  much  surprised  by  what  you  have  told  me ; 
the  story  is  certainly  romantic  in  every  respect.  And  you  met 
the  young  lady  by  accident  to-night?  She  is,  then,  a  resident 
of  Yohkers.  Who  may  she  be  ?  Perhaps  she  is  no  one  whom 
I  know." 

"She  is  Miss  Gladstone,  and  your  wife's  ward,  I  believe,' 
Lord  Carrol  replied,  and  bending  a  grave  look  upon  his  host. 

Mr.  Richards  nearly  bounded  from  the  piano  stool  upon 
which  he  had  been  sitting  at  this  startling  intelligence,  while 
outside  that  open  window  there  was  a  sound  as  of  some  one 
weakly  sinking  into  a  chair.  But  both  gentlemen  were  so 
deeply  engaged  in  the  subject  under  consideration  that  they  did 
not  appear  to  hear  it. 

"Star!"  ejaculated  Mr  Richards,  when  he  could  recover  his 
breath. 

"Yes,  sir;  Miss  Star  Gladstone  is  the  lady  of  whom  I  have 
told  you,"  Lord  Carrol  replied,  somewhat  coldly,  for  he  could 
not  understand  why  any  one  so  lovely  and  accomplished  in 
every  way  as  Star  was  should  have  been  so  slighted  and  ill- 
treated  in  his  family. 

"But  I  do  not  understand — I  cannot  see — I — I  beg  pardon ; 
but,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  am  completely  taken  aback  by  what 
you  have  told  me,"  Mr.  Richards  stammered,  for  it  was  to  him 
a  most  astounding  revelation. 

"I  expected  that  my  communication  would  surprise  you; 


EXPLANATIONS.  183 

but  you  cannot  be  more  so  than  I  was  upon  learning  to-night 
that  Miss  Gladstone  is  a  member  of  your  family,"  returned  his 
lordship. 

"  But  you  tell  me  that  you  were  intending  to  call  upon  her 
friends  to-morrow,  and  here  you  have  been  in  the  same  house 
a  day  and  a  night  already. " 

"True;  but  I  was  not  aware  of  the  fact  until  within  the  last 
hour.  Miss  Gladstone  gave  me  her  address  last  Saturday  even 
ing.  Here  it  is;  you  can  read  it.  It  was  late  when  I  askei 
for  it,  and  she  wrote  it  hastily  upon  this  card. " 

The  young  man  passed  it  to  his  companion  as  he  spoke, 
and  Mr.  Richards  read  the  street  and  number  of  his  own 
residence. 

"You  will  remember,"  Lord  Carrol  continued,  "that  I  am 
an  entire  stranger  in  this  place,  and  that  I  do  not  even  know 
the  name  of  the  street  upon  which  you  reside,  as  Mrs.  Richards 
was  kind  enough  to  say  that  some  one  should  meet  me  at  the 
station  upon  my  arrival.  I  wished  very  much  to  go  to  Star 
to-day,  but  courtesy  demanded  that  I  should  not  dissarrange 
Mrs.  Richards'  plans.  I  fully  intended,  however,  to  ask  you  to 
direct  me  to  the  place  designated  on  that  card  to-morrow,  never 
once  suspecting  that  I  was  already  in  the  house  where  the  lady 
of  my  choice  resides." 

"And  has  Star  never  mentioned  our  name  to  you?"  Mr. 
Richards  asked. 

"No;  she  has  been  very  reticent  regarding  everything  con 
nected  with  herself  save  her  studies  and  her  music,  and  I  have 
not  thought  to  question  her  on  that  point." 

Mr.  Richards'  face  clouded. 

Star  had  good  cause  for  being  reticent,  he  knew,  and  the 
subject  was  becoming  an  awkward  one  for  him. 

"You  say  you  met  her  to-night?"  he  said. 

"Yes;  I  went  cut  for  a  stroll  and  a  smoke  after  dinner,  and 
came  upon  her  suddenly  in  the  grounds.  She  appeared  to  be 


1 84  EX  PL  AN  A  TIONS. 

greatly  distressed,  and  I,  never  suspecting  the  cause,  pressed  her 
to  tell  me.  She  turned  upon  me  like  an  outraged  queen,  and 
denounced  me  in  a  manner  that  fairly  took  my  breath  away. 
She  believed  me  to  be  simply  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  an  artist, 
until  last  night,  when  she  saw  me  driven  to  your  door  and 
received  as  Lord  Carrol ;  and,  having  heard  exaggerated  reports 
of  my  attentions  to  Miss  Richards  while  at  Long  Branch,  it  is 
not  strange  that  she  should  resent  the  seeming  deception,  for 
appearances  are  certainly  against  me.  But  a  few  words  will 
set  everything  right,  if  you  will  explain  something  of  this  to 
her  and  secure  an  interview  for  me. " 

"Then  it  is  our  Star  whom  you  want  to  marry,  my  lord," 
Mr.  Richards  said,  reflectively,  and  as  if  he  could  hardly  com 
prehend  it  even  yet,  while  he  wondered  if  they  could  ever  live 
through  the  tempest  which  his  wife  would  surely  raise  when  she 
should  discover  that  Star  had  won  the  lover  whom  she  was 
bending  all  her  energies  to  secure  for  Josephine. 

"Yes,  hoping  for  your  sanction,  of  course,"  Lord  Carrol 
answered,  with  a  rising  flush,  for  he  could  read  something  of 
what  was  passing  in  his  host's  mind.  "But,  pardon  me, "  he 
added,  fixing  a  look  of  grave  questioning  upon  his  face,  "now 
that  I  find  she  is  the  ward  of  your  wife,  I  cannot  understand 
why  I  have  not  met  her  with  the  other  members  of  your 
family." 

"Ahem  !  Well,"  began  Mr.  Richards,  with  evident  embarrass 
ment,  "she  has  been  very  deeply  engaged  with  her  studies  ever 
since  she  came  to  us — is  ambitious,  you  know,  and  also  spends 
a  great  deal  of  her  time  practicing  music,  and  my  wife  thought 
it  would  be  best  for  her  not  to — to  mingle  in  company  much 
until  she  had — um  ! — completed  her  education  ;"  and  Mrs. 
Richards,  sitting  just  outside  that  open  window,  where  she  had 
heard  every  word  of  the  above  conversation,  thanked  the  fates 
that  for  once  her  husband  had  smoothed  awkward  things  over 
for  her  quite  comfortably. 


EX  PL  AN  A  TlOffS.  ,  8  5 

Cord  Carrol  simply  bowed  in  reply  to  this  statement.  It 
vvould  not  become  him  to  question  the  truthfulness  of  what  he 
had  heard,  but  since  his  interview  with  Star,  his  opinion  of  the 
family  had  changed  very  materially. 

"Well,  I  am  nonplussed,  and  I  reckon  that  this  state  of 
affairs  will  create  quite  a  commotion  when  it  becomes  known," 
Mr.  Richards  resumed,  after  a  few  minutes  of  thought,  during 
which  his  surprise  seemed  to  increase.  "I  never  dreamed  that 
our  Star  would  ever  step  into  such  a  chair  of  state,  although 
she  is  of  good  blood,  I  believe." 

"  Of  the  best,"  Lord  Carrol  returned,  decidedly.  "  She  told 
me  upon  one  occasion  that  her  mother  was  a  Miss  Anna  Chud- 
leigh,  of  Chudleigh  Manor,  Devonshire.  I  know  something  of 
them,  and  they  were  a  fine  family,  although  I  have  been  told 
that  they  were  very  much  displeased  at  the  marriage  of  their 
only  daughter  with  a  clergyman  of  limited  means.  But — have 
I  your  sanction  to  prosecute  my  suit  with  Miss  Gladstone,  and 
will  you  arrange  an  interview  for  me  ?" 

"Certainly;  I  shall  do  what  you  wish,  and  I  must  say  that  I 
am  glad  that  things  are  turning  out  so  well  for  Star.  /  have 
been  very  fond  of  her,  for  she  is  a  bright  and  winsome  little 
body  about  the  house.  She  is  talented,  too,  to  say  nothing  of 
her  beauty,  and  she  will  make  you  a  good  wife.  I  congratulate 
you  both,  and  there  is  my  hand  on  it,  my  lord,"  Mr.  Richards 
concluded,  heartily,  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  young  peer, 
which  he  took  and  cordially  shook. 

But  Mrs.  1  ichards,  her  heart  filled  with  bitterest  rage,  felt  as 
if  she  could  have  strangled  her  husband  with  a  good  relish  for 
taking  such  an  interest  in  Star's  prospects,  while  the  gorgeous 
air-castle  which  his  own  daughter  had  built  was  tumbling  to 
the  ground  about  his  ears. 

Mr.  Richards  then  rose. 

"I  suppose  you  are  anxious  to  see  Star  at  once?"  he  said. 

"Yes,  if  you  please.    I  desire  to  make  my  peace  with  her  as 


1 86  EXPLANA  TIGNS. 

soon  as  possible,  for  I  know  that  she  is  deeply  wounded,  and  I 
cannot  rest  until  she  knows  the  truth." 

"Very  well;  I  will  go  to  her,  and  send  her  to  the  library. 
You  will  be  free  from  intrusion  there,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  and 
immediately  left  the  room  in  search  of  Star. 

He  came  back  very  soon,  however,  saying  that  she  had  not 
returned  to  her  room,  and  no  one  had  seen  her  that  day  save 
Mrs.  Blunt,  who  told  him  that  she  had  been  very  ill,  and  not 
able  to  attend  school. 

Lord  Carrol's  face  fell  at  this  information,  and  he  realized 
more  forcibly  than  ever  what  Star  must  have  suffered  from  this 
unfortunate  misunderstanding. 

"Perhaps  it  will  be  best  for  me  to  wait  until  to-morrow 
morning,"  he  said,  after  a  moment  of  thought.  "She  appeared 
so  greatly  excited  when  I  met  her  this  evening,  and  has  been  so 
ill  all  day,  it  may  be  well  for  her  to  get  rest  before  exciting  her 
any  further.  Yes,  I  will  wait,"  he  concluded,  with  a  sigh,  for 
he  was  deeply  disappointed  and  anxious. 

"  Is  Mr.  Rosevelt  a  member  of  your  family  also?"  he  asked, 
after  a  moment,  and  suddenly  remembering  that  Star  had  told 
him  they  were  inmates  of  the  same  house. 

"Yes;  well,  not  exactly  a  member  of  my  family,"  Mr.  Rich 
ards  returned,  flushing  over  this,  another  awkward  question. 
"He  is  my  wife's  uncle,  and  one  of  us;  but  his  health  is,  so 
poor,  and  noise  affects  him  so  unpleasantly,  that  he  prefers  to 
have  a  room  at  the  lodge  rather  than  here  where  there  is  so 
much  gayety  and  confusion." 

Mrs.  Richards,  still  an  eavesdropper,  heaved  another  com 
fortable  sigh  over  this  rough  place  made  smooth. 

"You  must  have  met  Mr.  Rosevelt  also,"  he  added,  as  it 
came  to  him  that  Star  and  his  wife's  uncle  had  shared  that 
dreadful  experience  at  sea. 

"Yes;  and  I  think  him  a. fine  old  gentleman.  I  must  see 
him  also  to-morrow, "  his  lordship  returned ;  and  then  he  went 


EXPLANATIONS.  !8y 

on  to  explain  more  fully  how  he  had  made  the  acquaintance  of 
these  two  unfortunates,  and  described  their  sufferings  and  hard' 
ships  so  graphically  that  his  listener,  who  did  not  know  one- 
half,  was  deeply  moved. 

"  Miss  Gladstone  was  considered  quite  a  heroine  on  board 
our  steamer  after  her  rescue,"  the  young  man  said,  "when  the 
passengers  learned  with  how  much  fortitude  she  had  conducted 
herself  during  the  disaster  and  the  dreadful  events  following. 
The  captain  told  me,  with  tears  running  down  his  cheeks,  how 
she  had  denied  herself  both  food  and  drink  in  order  that  the 
life  of  Mr.  Rosevelt,  who,  she  declared,  had  less  vitality  than 
herself  on  account  of  his  age,  might  be  sustained.  She  did  not 
even  take  the  rest  which  she  needed,  but  watched  and  worked 
over  him  unceasingly — in  fact,  she  saved  his  life." 

"She  is  a  noble  girl — she  is  a  splendid  girl!"  Mr.  Richards 
returned,  tears  in  his  own  eyes,  and  his  heart  fall  of  remorse 
over  the  life  Star  had  led  since  she  came  into  his  house.  "She 
will  make  you  the  best  little  wife  in  the  world.  God  bless 
you  both !" 

Lord  Carrol  saw  that  he  was  sincere,  and  began  to  suspect 
where  all  the  trouble  lay  regarding  Star.  He  was  inclined  to 
think,  and  rightly,  that  jealousy  or  ill-will  on  the  part  of  the 
petted  Josephine  and  her  proud  mother  was  the  cause  of  her 
unpleasant  position  in  the  family ;  but  he  inwardly  resolved 
.hat  it  should  be  entirely  different  in  the  future,  or  she  should 
not  remain  there. 

But  he  had  been  absent  a  long  time  from  the  gay  company 
in  the  drawing-room,  and,  feeling  assured  that  he  could  not  see 
his  darling  that  night,  he  returned  to  it,  trying  to  wait  with 
patience  for  what  the  morrow  would  bring  him. 


188  MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

MALICIOUS     FALSEHOODS. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Richards  and  his  distinguished  guest  left  the 
music-room,  a  white  hand  parted  the  curtains  from  the  window, 
and  a  blanched,  distorted  face  appeared  in  the  aperture. 

It  belonged  to  Mrs.  Richards,  who  had,  as  before  mentioned, 
been  a  listener  to  all  that  had  transpired.  Seeing  that  no  one 
was  in  sight,  she  stepped  softly  inside,  for  the  window  was  a 
long  one,  reaching  to  the  floor,  and  sank  back  into  a  chair,  the 
picture  of  a  woman  whom  a  fierce  passion  had  exhausted. 

She  had  chanced  to  be  out  upon  the  veranda  when  Lord 
Carrol  had  entered  the  music-room  and  requested  a  "few 
moments' conversation"  with  her  husband,  and  feeling,  with  a 
thrill  of  delight,  that  the  most  important  moment  of  Josephine's 
life  had  come,  she  drew  near  to  listen,  as  she  supposed,  to  his 
lordship's  proposal  for  her  hand. 

Her  emotions  can  better  be  imagined  than  described  when 
instead  she  heard  the  story  which  the  young  man  told  her 
husband,  and  learned  that  Star,  the  despised  and  neglected 
waif,  had  secured  the  prize  which  she  had  so  coveted  for  her 
brilliant  daughter/ 

A  perfect  tornado  of  wrath,  jealousy,  and  hate  raged  within 
her  heart  as  she  heard  his  praises  of  her,  and  his  manly  con 
fession  of  love  for  her,  with  the  intention  of  making  her  his 
wife. 

Star,  the  beggar  maid,  as  she  had  always  regarded  her,  the 
burden  reproach  of  her  life,  the  wife  of  a  peer  of  England  ! 

It  could  not  be;  she  would  not  have  it  so,  when  she  had 
plotted  and  schemed  to  win  this  proud,  handsome  young  aris- 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS.  ify 

tocrat  for  her  daughter ;  when  she  had  spent  hundreds  to  snare 
him ;  and  when,  she  knew  but  too  well,  Josephine  had  learned 
to  love  him  with  all  the  fire  of  her  proud,  passionate  nature. 

If  it  had  been  a  girl  in  a  position  equal  to  that  which 
Josephine  occupied  whom  he  had  chosen,  the  disappointment 
would  not  have  been  less  severe,  but  the  mortification  would 
not  have  been  so  galling. 

This  was  what  had  made  Star's  face  so  radiant,  then,  during 
the  past  week,  making  her  seem  to  bloom  into  new  beauty,  and 
glorifying  her  with  exceeding  happiness.  She  had  noticed,  but 
could  not  understand  it. 

This  was  the  meaning  of  the  unusual  attention  which  she 
had  bestowed  upon  her  toilet  last  Saturday — for  Josephine  had 
told  her  of  that  little  scene  upon  the  veranda — and  also  of  her 
protracted  absence  that  day. 

For  half  an  hour  she  sat  there,  white  as  alabaster  with  pas 
sion,  her  eyes  glowing  with  hate  for  the  innocent  cause  of  all 
her  disappointment. 

"Not  in  her  room,  eh?"  she  muttered  at  length,  vindictively. 
"I'll  find  the  little  vixen,  and  if  it  is  possible  to  widen  this 
breach,  it  won't  be  my  fault  if  it  is  not  done. " 

With  a  cruel  expression  on  her  still  white  face,  she  arose  and 
swept  noiselessly  from  the  room  by  the  same  way  that  she  had 
entered,  and  passed  down  the  steps  of  the  veranda  out  into  the 
grounds. 

With  a  quick,  swinging  pace  she  walked  down  the  avenue, 
casting  keen  glances  among  the  trees  and  shrubbery  as  she 
went. 

But  Star  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

Mrs.  Richards,  however,  was  determined  to  have  an  inter 
view  with  her  before  either  her  husband  or  Lord  Carrol  could 
do  so.  She  did  not  think  she  had  returned  to  the  house,  and 
had  an  idea  that  she  might  be  at  the  lodge  with  Mr.  Rosevelt, 
so  she  oersevered  in  her  search. 


I<j6  MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 

She  kept  on  her  way  until  she  came  out  by  the  lodge,  where 
she  saw  John  Mellen,  who  was  both  gardener  and  porter,  sitting 
upon  the  porch. 

He  looked  greatly  surprised  as  the  light  from  the  lantern  at 
the  gate  fell  upon  her  face. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter,  niarm?"  he  asked,  touching  his  hat 
respectfully,  but  wondering  to  see  her  there  at  that  hour,  with 
no  wrap,  while  he  noticed  that  she  was  very  pale. 

"  No,  John  ;  but  have  you  seen  anything  of  Miss  Gladstone?" 
she  asked. 

"Yes,  marm ;  she  came  running  down  here  about  half  an 
hour  ago,  looking  like  a  wraith,  and  bounded  up  stairs  like  a 
fawn,  to  the  old  gentleman's  room,"  he  answered. 

"Is  she  there  now?"  Mrs.  Richards  demanded,  quickly,  her 
lips  settling  down  into  a  hard,  straight  line. 

"  Yes'm — leastways,  I've  not  seen  her  come  down  yet." 

The  woman  bent  her  head  in  thought  a  moment,  then  briefly 
remarked : 

"I  think  I'll  go  up." 

Gathering  her  rustling  skirts  in  her  hand,  she  passed  inside 
the  lodge,  mounted  the  stairs  with  a  noiseless  tread,  and  paused 
before  Mr.  Rosevelt's  door. 

Bending  close  to  the  keyhole,  she  heard  sounds  of  sobbing, 
mingled  with  low,  soothing  words  spoken  by  her  uncle. 

She  softly  opened  the  door,  and  standing  upon  the  threshold, 
her  face  grew  dark  and  wrathful  at  the  picture  which  she  saw 
within  the  room. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  sat  in  his  arm-chair  by  the  table  which  stood 
between  the  two  windows  of  his  room,  while  Star  knelt  upon 
the  floor  at  his  side,  her  golden  head  bowed  upon  the  arm  of 
his  chair,  sobbing  as  if  her  heart  was  breaking. 

The  old  gentleman  had  laid  one  hand  upon  her  bright  head, 
and  was  soothing  it  gently  as  he  tried  to  quiet  her  with  low, 
fond  words. 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS.  I9I 

"Dear  child/'  he  said,  tenderly,  "don't  grieve  so;  you  have 
been  very  brave  so  far ;  bear  it  a  little  longer,  and  all  will  be 
well.  I  know  you  have  tried  to  hide  it  from  me  and  every  one 
else,  but  I've  seen  and  known  what  you  have  had  to  contend 
with  ever  since  I  came  here.  You've  had  no  love,  no  sym 
pathy,  and  your  poor,  starved  heart  was  well-nigh  broken  under 
it.  But  cheer  up,  my  dear;  you  have  been  a  blessing  to  me. 
I  have  been  very  lonely  and  forlorn  many  times,  but  I  should 
have  had  a  sorrowful  time  of  it,  indeed,  if  my  bright  little  Star 
had  not  shed  her  genial  rays  upon  my  pathway. 

"7«deed  !"  interrupted  a  voice  from  behind  them,  in  its  most 
sarcastic  tones,  causing  Star  to  spring  to  her  feet  with  a  low  cry 
of  surprise,  as  she  turned  her  flushed,  tear-stained  face  toward 
the  intruder,  while  Mr.  Rosevelt  looked  up  at  his  niece  with  a 
grave,  displeased  countenance. 

"Indeed!"  Mrs.  Richards  repeated,  her  anger  waxing  hotter, 
and  fiercer  as  she  imagined  that  Star  had  been  pouring  the  story 
of  her  love  and  trial  into  her  uncle's  ears.  "You  have  both 
been  sadly  abused  and  heart-starved,  haven't  you  ?  For  a  couple 
of  dependents  you  fare  very  badly,  don't  you?  And  this  is  the 
gratitude  and  appreciation  that  you  show.  Stella  Gladstone,  go 
back  to  your  room  and  remain  there  until  I  come  to  you ;  I 
wish  to  have  a  private  conversation  with  you.  As  for  you,  Uncle 
Jacob,  I  am  surprised  that  you  should  take  sides  with  a  senti 
mental  schoolgirl  against  those  who  are  providing  most  bounti 
fully  for  her." 

Mr.  Rosevelt  reached  out  his  hand  and  took  one  of  Star's. 

"Remain  where  you  are,"  he  said,  with  a  quiet  authority 
which  amazed  while  it  enraged  his  niece. 

Then  turning  to  her,  he  continued,  in  the  same  quiet  tone, 
but  with  a  deliberation  which  made  every  word  tell  : 

"Ellen  Richards,  you  are  a  heartless,  arrogant  woman.  You 
need  not  speak  yet,  for  I  am  going  to  relieve  rny  mind,  once 
for  all.  I  am  your  father's  only  brother,  and  when  you  were  a 


,pz  MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 

child  I  helped  him  provide  the  very  bread  that  appeased  your 
hunger.  When,  later  on,  I  became  a  rich  man,  and  you  were 
married  and  settled,  you  fawned  upon  and  flattered  me,  pro 
testing  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  world  that  you  would  not 
do  for  'dear  Uncle  Jacob.'  Every  time  I  returned  from  abroad, 
bringing  you  rich  and  elegant  gifts,  you  urged  me  to  quit  my 
roving  and  come  to  live  with  you — your  '  home  and  heart  would 
always  be  open '  to  me,  you  said.  It  was  the  same  with  your 
brother  Henry ;  words  cost  nothing,  and  his  protestations  were 
us  fluent  as  your  own.  But  when  misfortune  overtook  me,  and 
I  returned  to  remain  and  to  take  him  at  his  word,  everything 
was  changed.  He  received  me  coldly,  giving  me  the  poorest 
accommodations  his  house  afforded,  when  before  the  best  were 
none  too  good  for  me.  Finally,  he  and  his  family,  by  thei* 
coldness,  neglect,  and  disagreeable  hints,  drove  me  to  despera 
tion,  and  I  left  them.  I  came  hither,  hoping  that  your  woman's 
heart  would  prompt  you  to  receive  a  sick  and  failing  old  man 
with  the  kindness  and  sympathy  which  he  so  much  needed 
and  craved.  But  I  met  with  even  a  worse  reception ;  the  very 
atmosphere  of  your  house  when  I  entered  it  told  me  at  one* 
that  I  was  an  unwelcome  guest.  You  have  ignored  me  when 
you  could,  and  when  you  could  not,  you  have  taken  pains  to 
make  me  feel  like  an  intruder  and  a  dependent,  although  your 
husband  evidently  would  be  glad  to  be  kind  to  me,  if  he  could 
do  so  and  keep  the  peace.  This  child  alone,"  the  old  man 
continued,  looking  tenderly  up  into  Star's  sad  face,  "has  given 
me  love  and  sympathy.  Her  kindness  and  little  attentions 
have  been  like  a  bright  spot  in  the  darkness  and  loneliness  of 
my  life  since  coming  to  you ;  while  your  treatment  of  her  has 

been  culpable " 

"Has  she  dared  to  complain  of  me  to  you?"  cried  Mrs. 
Richards,  crimson  with  anger;  for  every  word  that  he  had 
uttered  had  been  a  reproach  to  her,  and  while  she  did  not 
dare  to  vent  her  wrath  upon  him,  she  was  glad  of  this 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS.  !93 

allusion  to  Star,  for  upon  her  defenseless  head  she  felt  free  to 
relieve  herself. 

"No;  she  has  never  complained — she  has  even  tried  to  con 
ceal  your  treatment  of  her — but  I  have  eyes  and  can  see  for 
myself,  and  it  has  been  patent  to  me  how  her  young  heart  has 
been  starved,  how  every  bright  and  enjoyable  thing  has  been 
Crushed  out  of  her  life.  I  know  how  she  has  had  to  do  battle 
for  even  her  education,  and  that  you  would  have  made  a  drudge 
and  a  slave  of  her,  had  you  dared  and  your  husband  allowed 
you  to  do  it  It  is  disgraceful,  Ellen,  for  you  to  treat  your 
cousin's  child  in  such  a  manner,  when  you  owe  so  much  to 
her  mother " 

"  How  do  you  know?  A,*rhj  lias  been  telling  you  all  this? 
I  am  out  of  all  patience !"  Mrs.  Richards  interrupted,  passion 
ately.  ' '  Everybody  is  continually  throwing  at  me  the  fact  that 
Anna  Chudleigh  once  saved  my  life.  Hundreds  of  people  have 
saved  the  lives  of  others  and  considered  it  their  duty  to  have 
done  so.  If  I  was  drowning  and  Anna  saw  me,  it  was  natural 
for  her — it  belonged  to  her  to  save  me  if  she  could,  as  I  should 
have  done,  no  doubt,  had  the  circumstances  been  reversed." 

"True;  but  this  view  of  the  case  does  not  lessen  your  ob 
ligation,  nor  license  you  to  abuse  the  trust  that  has  been  com 
mitted  to  you,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  answered,  sternly.  "You  bound 
yourself  to  this  child's  dying  father  to  '  do  the  best  you  could 
for  her,'  to  give  her  a  home,  and  see  that  her  education  was 
properly  attended  to,  and  you  owed  it  to  him  and  to  her  to 
keep  your  promise." 

"I  owed  her  nothing,"  cried  the  enraged  woman,  losing  all 
control  of  herself;  "and  you,  Uncle  Jacob,  are  overstepping  all 
bounds  by  interfering  with  what  is  none  of  your  business." 

"The  girl  saved  my  life  almost  at  the  sacrifice  of  her  own, 
and  I  shall  make  it  my  business  to  do  what  I  can  for  her  while  I 
live,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  answered,  with  dignity. 

"  Well,  you  will  find,  I  reckon,  that  you  have  not  helped  her 


194 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 


cause  very  much  by  taking  up  weapons  against  me  for  her,* 
snapped  his  niece,  vindictively,  and  with  a  glance  of  dislike  at 
Star.  "Saved  your  life  1"  she  continued,  sarcastically.  "Well, 
perhaps,  she  did ;  but,  in  my  opinion,  that  is  all  sentimental 
gush,  for  she  is  an  artful  jade,  and  has  doubtless  palavered  and 
cooed  over  you  until  she  has  pulled  the  wool  over  your  eyes  in 
fine  shape. " 

"What  could  have  been  her  object,  Ellen?"  asked  the  old 
gentleman,  dryly.  "Certainly  not  the  expectation  of  getling 
any  portion  of  my  fortune,  since  appearances  must  have  indi 
cated  to  her  as  well  as  to  you  that  I  had  nothing  to  give  her. 
If  she  had  known  me,  and  done  all  this  when  I  was  considered 
rich,  there  might  possibly  be  some  reason  in  your  accusations/' 

This  shaft  told  keenly,  for  his  niece  colored  guiltily  to  the 
roots  of  her  hair. 

"Your  irony  is  ill-timed,  it  appears  to  me,  Uncle  Jacob, "  she 
said,  sullenly,  "especially  as  you  are  indebted  to  me  for  the 
bare  necessaries  of  life,  not  to  speak  of  its  comforts." 

"Indebted  to  you,  am  I,  Ellen?  I  do  not  believe  in  re 
criminations,  but  allow  me  to  ask,  do  you  know  the  cost  of 
those  diamonds  which  you  have  on,  and  have  you  forgotten 
where  you  got  them  ?" 

Mrs.  Richards'  brilliant  color  forsook  her  in  an  instant,  and 
she  became  as  white  as  the  mass  of  snowy  lace  which  rose  and 
fell  with  the  angry  pulsation  of  her  heart 

Her  passionate  temper  prompted  her  to  tear  those  flash  in;.* 
stones  from  her  person  and  cast  them  in  the  face  of  her  accuser; 
but  her  pride  and  avarice  were  the  strongest  attributes  of  her 
nature,  and  knowing  that  she  would  not  be  likely  to  have  them 
replaced,  she  refrained  from  so  rash  an  act. 

"I  do  not  begrudge  you  your  jewels,  Ellen,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
continued,  more  gently,  perceiving  how  keenly  she  felt  his  re 
proof,  'but  when  you  twit  me  of  being  indebted  to  you  for  the 
simple  .necessaries  of  life,  it  is  rather  more  than  I  can  tamely 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 


195 


submit  to.  I  was  fond  of  making  presents  in  the  days  that 
are  gone,  and  I  felt  repaid  for  my  diamonds  by  the  joy  that 
lighted  up  your  face  when  I  gave  them  to  you ;  but  I  confess 
it  is  a  little  hard  to  be  considered  a  burden  by  you  now,  while 
I  am  deeply  grieved  to  have  Star's  young  life  made  so  un 
happy.  " 

"  I  tell  you  you  do  not  know  the  girl ;  she  is  as  artful  as  she 
can  be,  and  I  can  prove  it  to  you,"  Mrs.  Richards  exclaimed, 
glad  to  have  the  subject  changed,  for  she  was  considerably  con 
science  smitten  over  the  diamonds. 

"I  do  not  think  you  can  prove  anything  of  the  kind,  Ellen," 
Mr.  Rosevelt  returned,  quietly. 

"Listen,  then,"  she  retorted,  eagerly,  "and  I  will  tell  you 
how  to-night  I  have  discovered  her  to  be  guilty  of  the  most 
shameless  conduct. " 

Star  started  and  flushed  at  the  accusation.  She  had  not  a 
suspicion  that  her  secret  had  been  discovered. 

"It  seems,"  continued  Mrs.  Richards,  "that  while  going 
oack  and  forth,  to  and  from  school  this  fall,  she  has  been  flirt 
ing  in  the  most  desperate  manner  with  a  young  man — a  perfect 
stranger  to  her,  and  one  so  far  above  her  socially  that  it  was 
rankest  presumption  in  her  to  do  as  she  has  done.  She  has 
even  entrapped  him  into — or  rather,  I  should  say,  she  has  mis 
construed  his  conversation  with  her  to  mean  a  declaration  of 
love  for  her,  and  now  that  he  has  found  her  out  and  turns  with 
disgusc,  from  her  artful  designing,  she  has  shamelessly  taxed 
him  with  unfaithfulness  and  treachery." 

Star  turned  and  regarded  her  accuser  in  perfect  amazement 
She  could  scarcely  credit  her  sense  of  hearing. 

How  did  Mrs.  Richards  know  anything  about  her  meetings 
with  Lord  Carrol,  alias  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  or  of  her  interest 
in  him?  And  who  had  represented  it  in  this  disgraceful  light? 

"This  young  man,"  the  cunning  woman  went  on,  "is  no 
other  than  Lord  Carrol,  who,  for  the  month  that  we  were  at 


196  MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 

Long  Branch,  paid  the  most  devoted  attention  to  Josephine, 
and  accepted  our  invitation  here  with  the  intention,  as  we  sup 
posed,  of  formally  declaring  himself  to  her  and  securing  her 
father's  consent  to  their  marriage." 

A  convulsive  tremor  ran  through  every  fiber  of  the  young 
girl's  being  as  she  stood  there  and  listened  to  this  artful  tale, 
and  MT.  Rosevelt,  who  still  held  her  hand,  was  sensible  of  it, 
and  wondered  what  it  could  all  mean. 

He  had  not  j.  suspicion  that  Lord  Carrol  and  the  handsome 
young  artist  whom  he  so  admired  were  one  and  the  same,  but 
he  knew  that  something  must  be  very  wrong  to  move  Star  so 
and  make  her  look  so  deaihly  white. 

"You  look  astonished,"  Mrs  Richards  said,  "and  well  you 
may,  and  your  surprise  will  increase  when  I  have  told  you  all.'' 

"I  am  sure,"  he  answered,  glancing  from  one  to  the  other, 
"that  there  must  be  some  mistake." 

"There  is  no  mistake,"  replied  his  niece,  coldly,  and  fixing 
a  merciless  glance  upon  Star,  "for  Lord  Carrol  has  just  had  an 
interview  with  my  husband,  during  which  he  told  him  the  whole 
story.  He  says  his  first  meeting  with  Stella  was  caused  by  an 
accident,  and  that  she  appeared  so  bright  and  intelligent  thai 
whenever  he  met  her  afterward  he  spoke  with  her  and  treatef' 
her  kindly.  He  did  not  even  have  the  least  idea  where  she 
lived  until  to-night,  after  dinner.  He  went  cut  for  a  quiet 
smoke,  when  she  presented  herself  before  him,  accused  him  of 
coming  here  as  Josephine's  lover,  and  denounced  him  as  a 
traitor  in  the  strongest  terms  and  most  unmaidenly  manner, 
and  telling  him,  greatly  to  his  surprise,  that  she  was  an  inmate 
of  the  house  where  he  was  a  visitor.  Of  course,  after  such  a 
denouement,  he  could  do  no  other  way  than  to  seek  Mr.  Rich 
ards  and  explain  everything,  lest  this  rash  girl  should,  out  of  a 
spirit  of  revenge  and  disappointment,  destroy  all  his  prospects 
with  Josephine." 

It  was  a  cunningly  distorted  story,  and  Star,  as  she  listened 


MALICIOUS    FALSEHOODS. 

to  it,  bowed  her  head  and  covered  her  face  with  her  hands, 
while  a  low  cry  of  despair  broke  from  her  lips. 

She  had  not  dreamed  that  the  man  whom  she  had  learned  to 
love,  who,  with  his  open,  handsome  face,  his  frank,  manly  ways, 
had  won  her  deepest  respect,  her  strongest  affections,  could  be 
guilty  of  so  cowardly  an  act  as  to  betray  her  thus. 

And  yet  he  must  have  done  so,  else  how  could  Mrs.  Richards 
have  known  anything  about  the  matter? 

Yes,  without  doubt,  he  had  feared  that  she  would  openly 
denounce  him  before  the  family  where  he  had  so  unexpectedly 
found  her,  and  so  had  given  this  version  of  the  great  wrong  that 
he  had  done  her  in  order  to  shield  himself. 

His  own  prospects  of  winning  the  rich  heiress  must  not  be 
interfered  with,  so  he  adopted  this  coup  d'etat  of  going  to  Mrs. 
Richards  and,  with  apparent  frankness,  confessing  that  his 
trifling  attention  to  a  silly  girl  had  resulted  in  leading  her  to 
believe  she  had  won  a  wealthy  and  titled  husband. 

This  was  just  what  Mrs.  Richards  had  wished  to  make  Star 
believe,  and  she  succeeded  only  too  well,  for  the  young  girl 
was  well-nigh  crushed  to  the  earth  with  a  sense  of  shame,  and 
humiliation,  and  M'ounded  love. 

And  yet,  even  while  she  felt  that  Archibald  Sherbrooke — she 
could  not  think  of  him  in  any  other  character — had  been  guilty 
of  a  most  cowardly  and  treacherous  act,  had  steeped  his  soul 
in  sin  by  winning  her  heart  to  break  it,  and  thus  ruining  her 
whole  life,  she  laved  him  still. 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

STAR'S  DETERMINATION. 

'  Star,  my  dear  child,  what  does  this  mean  ?"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
ejaculated,  in  a  tone  of  wonder,  as  his  niece  concluded. 

"It  is  unnecessary  to  ask  her  whether  I  have  spoken  the 
truth  or  not ;  her  very  looks  and  manner  betray  that  she  is 
guilty  of  what  I  have  told  you,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  scornfully. 
"I  did  not  suppose,  however,  with  her  innocent  face  and  ap 
parently  quiet,  modest  manner,  that  she  could  be  quite  so 
shameless.  But  it  is  always  so;  such  cat-like  natures  always 
work  in  the  dark." 

Star's  proud  little  head  came  up  with  a  haughty  air  at  this 
taunting  speech,  while  her  blue  eyes  grew  dark  and  ominous. 

"You  are  accusing  me  ignorantly  and  most  unjustly,"  she 
said,  in  a  hard  tone,  but  with  pained  and  quivering  lips. 

"How  so?  Do  you  presume  to  deny  that  you  met  Lord 
Carrol  in  the  grounds  to-night?"  demanded  Mrs.  Richards, 
severely. 

"No." 

"You  did  meet  him?" 

"Yes." 

"And  denounced  him  as  a  traitor?" 

"Yes.  I  believe  him  to  be  a  traitor  to  truth  and  honor, 
and — a  cmvard!" 

They  were  hard,  cruel  words  to  be  said  of  Archibald  Sher- 
brooke,  whom  she  had  loved  so  dearly  and  believed  to  be  so 
noble  and  true,  and  her  heart  thrilled  with  keenest  pain  as  she 
uttered  them,  but  she  believed  he  had  basely  deceived  her, 

"Explain  yourself,"  commanded  Mrs.  Richards,  bridling. 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 

"I  shall  explain  nothing,"  Star  answered,  coldly,  yet  firmly. 
"What  I  said  to  Lord  Carrol  to-night  was  intended  for  him 
alone.  If  he  has  chosen  to  betray  me,  the  responsibility  rests 
upon  himself  and  you  can  go  to  him  for  explanations  if  you 
choose." 

' '  Where  did  you  meet  him  first — how  did  you  make  his 
acquaintance  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Richards,  longing  to  get  Star's  ver 
sion  of  the  story. 

"I  decline  to  answer  any  questions  upon  the  subject, "she 
returned,  quietly. 

"I  command  you  to  tell  me." 

"And  I  still  decline, "  Star  said,  with  an  air  that  surprised 
both  of  her  listeners. 

She  was  as  colorless  now  as  a  block  of  marble,  but  so  beau 
tiful  in  her  proud  sorrow,  her  agonized  scorn,  that  they  could 
but  regard  her  with  wonder. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  refuse  what  I  ask  of  you.  I  am  your 
guardian,  and  I  demand  a  truthful  confession  of  this  whole 
scandalous  affair,"  Mrs.  Richards  reiterated,  sharply. 

"You  have  already  had  it,  you  say,  from  Lord  Carrol's  own 
lips;  it  will  therefore  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  repeat  or  en 
large  upon  it,"  the  young  girl  returned,  with  calm  scorn,  while 
her  delicate  nostrils  dilated,  and  her  sweet  lips  curled  with 
supreme  contempt. 

"I  cannot  understand — there  must  be  some  mistake  in  all 
this,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Rosevelt,  his  face  a  perfect  blank.  "I 
thought,  Saturday,  Star,  that  you " 

A  slight  motion  from  her  checked  him  in  what  he  was  going 
to  say. 

"No,  there  is  no  mistake;  and  this  much  I  will  explain  to 
you.  I  did  meet  Lord  Carrol  to-night,  as  Mrs.  Richards  has 
told  you,"  she  said.  "  I  did  believe  myself  his  betrothed  wife, 
and  him  to  be  a  man  of  honor,  until  he  came  here  last  night 
as  Miss  Richards'  acknowledged  suitor,  and  when  I  saw  him 


200  STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 

this  evening  I  did  denounce  him  as  a  traitor.  It  seems  that  he 
has  volunteered  explanations  to  suit  himself  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Richards,  and  I  decline  to  go  further  into  particulars  with 
them.  I  have  no  desire  to  blight  Miss  Josephine's  prospects 
in  life,  and  I  wish  her  all  joy  with  her  high-born  and  honorable 
lover. " 

Pen  cannot  portray  the  scorn  which  pervaded  those  last 
words,  ringing  out  so  clearly,  so  scathingly  that  Mrs.  Richards' 
cheeks  burned  and  her  ears  tingled ;  for  this  was  the  man — if 
he  really  had  been  the  traitor  which  she  wished  to  make  him 
appear — whom  she  was  using  all  her  arts  to  secure  for  Jose 
phine's  husband. 

"I  am  amazed — I  cannot  understand!"  Mr.  Rosevelt  re 
peated,  with  a  troubled  face. 

He  believed  Star  to  be  as  pure-minded  and  as  innocent  of 
wrong  as  a  little  child. 

He  had  been  convinced  from  what  had  transpired  on  the 
previous  Saturday  that  she  loved  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  and 
not  knowing  that  he  was  also  Lord  Carrol,  he,  of  course,  was 
completely  puzzled  over  the  mystery. 

"I  do  not  see  how  you  dare  look  any  respectable  person  in 
the  face,  and  confess  what  you  just  have,  without  seeking  to 
clear  yourself,"  retorted  Mrs.  Richards,  sternly.  "  You  are  com 
promising  your  character  in  the  most  wretched  manner.  What 
can  I  believe  of  you — what  can  any  one  believe  of  you,  if  you 
own  to  having  been  upon  such  intimate  terms  with  a  man  of 
such  standing  as  Lord  Carrol,  while  he  is  here  as  the  acknowl 
edged  suitor  of  my  daughter?" 

"The  very  worst  that  you  can  believe,  madam,"  Star  re 
turned,  calmly,  and  meeting  the  woman's  eye  fearlessly,  but 
with  a  look  which  made  her  quail  in  spite  of  herself,  "can 
only  serve  to  compromise  the  man,  whose  favor  and  title  you 
appear  so  anxious  to  secure,  more  than  it  possibly  can  me. 
Notwithstanding  whatever  claim  I  may  have  supposed  myself  to 


STAK'S    DETERMINATION.  1O1 

have  heretofore  possessed  upon  him,  I  now  most  cheerfully  resign 
it  in  favor  of  Miss  Richards. " 

Were  ever  words  so  cutting?  Was  there  ever  so  barbed  a 
sentence  so  calmly  uttered  before? 

Mrs.  Richards  ground  her  teeth  with  rage  over  the  fact  that 
the  man  whom  poor,  despised  Star  Gladstone  thus  spurned, 
believing  him  to  be  the  very  soul  of  dishonor,  she  knew  Jose 
phine  was  using  all  her  arts  to  win,  while  of  course  she  could 
not  undeceive  her  because  it  would  spoil  her  plot 

"You  are  an  insolent,  overbearing  girl,"  she  said,  in  a  low, 
hissing  tone,  ' '  and  I  wonder  how  I  have  tolerated  you  in  my 
house  as  long  as  I  have.  I  wonder  how  you  dare  face  me, 
and  use  such  insulting  language  to  me  after  your  shameless 
conduct. " 

"I  am  neither  insolent  nor  overbearing,  Mrs.  Richards. 
Ever  since  I  came  into  your  house  I  have  striven  to  do  as 
nearly  right  as  I  knew  how,  and  to  make  as  little  trouble  as 
possible.  It  is  you  who  have  been  overbearing,  who  have 
wounded  me  by  insulting  the  memory  of  my  parents,  and  have 
tried  to  crush  and  trample  upon  me.  In  no  way  have  I  re 
belled  against  your  authority,  except  in  the  determination  not 
to  become  a  common  servant  and  to  pursue  my  education. 
This  I  did  in  justice  to  myself,  and  because  I  had  promised  my 
father  I  would  do  it  If  you  have  'tolerated  me  in  your  house,' 
believe  me,  there  has  been  as  much  toleration  exercised  upon 
my  part,  for  in  no  sense  of  the  word  has  it  been  a  home  to  me  ; 
instead,  it  has  been  merely  a  place  of  shelter,  a  spot  to  exist  in 
until  I  could  complete  my  education.  I  can  bear  it  no  longer; 
I  shall  consider  your  house  no  longer  my  home,"  Star  con 
cluded,  with  a  decision  which  rather  startled  Mrs.  Richards. 

But  she  retorted,  derisively : 

"Your  independent  spirit  ill  becomes  you.  Where  could 
you  go?  Who  would  take  you,  a  penniless  beggar,  and  give 
you  the  advantages  which  you  have  been  enjoying  during  the 


202  STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 

past  year?  But  it  is  folly  for  me  to  give  heed  to  your  idle 
words.  I  command  you  to  return  directly  to  your  room,  and 
hold  no  intercourse  with  any  one,  and  to-morrow  I  will  decide 
what  course  to  pursue  with  reference  to  your  future. " 

She  had  been  planning  to  pack  her  off  to  Brooklyn  with  one 
of  the  servants  until  Lord  Carrol's  visit  should  be  ended,  and 
thus  avoid  all  possibility  of  an  interview  and  its  attendant  ex 
planations. 

But  Star  did  not  move.  She  remained  standing  quietly  by 
Mr.  Rosevelt's  chair,  as  if  she  had  not  heard  her  command. 

' '  Did  you  hear  what  I  said  ?"  she  demanded,  sharply. 

"Yes,  madam." 

"Well,  do  you  intend  to  obey  me?" 

"No,  madam." 

"What!" 

"I  refuse  to  recognize  your  authority  over  me  from  this 
moment.  I  refuse  to  obey  any  longer  one  who,  from  the  first, 
has  been  governed  only  by  feelings  of  personal  spite  in  all  her 
dealings  with  roe/'  Star  returned,  firmly. 

Mrs.  Richards  could  scarcely  credit  her  ears. 

She  had  not  imagined  that  the  usually  quiet  girl  possessed  a 
tithe  of  this  spirit. 

"Well,  Uncle  Jacob,  what  do  you  think  of  your  little  pattern 
of  excellence  now?"  demanded  the  astonished  woman,  turning 
with  an  injured  air  t*>  her  uncle,  who  was  nearly  as  much 
amazed  himsel£ 

"I  think  the  child  has  been  severely  tried,"  he  returned, 
quietly,  whereupon  Mrs.  Richards  flew  into  another  rage. 

"I  must  say,  Uncle  Jacob,  that  I  consider  it  very  bad  taste 
Jn  you  to  take  sides  with  her  against  me ;  and  let  me  warn  you, 
that  you  have  both  got  yourselves  into  trouble  by  the  doings  of 
this  night." 

The  arrogant  dame  did  not  wait  for  any  reply,  but  turned 


STAG'S    DETERMINATION. 


203 


abruptly  and  left  the  room,  retiring,  however,  with  a  sense  of 
defeat  which  it  was  not  pleasant  to  contemplate. 

The  moment  that  :he  door  closed  after  her.  Star  dropped 
again  upon  the  floor  by  Mr.  Rosevelt's  side,  heart-broken.  He 
saw  that  she  was  utterly  unnerved  by  what  had  just  transpired, 
and  for  awhile  he  left  her  to  herself.  At  length,  when  she  be 
came  more  calm,  he  said,  sorrowfully,  yet  gently: 

"  My  child,  tell  me  what  Ellen  means.  What  cause  has  she 
for  coming  here  to  accuse  you  of  sucn  dreadful  things?  Who  is 
this  Lord  Carrol,  and  what  has  he  been  to  you?" 

Star  lifted  her  white,  pained  face  to  him. 

"You  do  not  believe  what  she  has  told  you — you  do  not 
believe  I  would  be  guilty  of  anything  so  shameless  as  she  would 
try  to  make  me  appear?"  she  questioned,  brokenly. 

"No,  no;  I  think  there  is  some  terrible  misunderstanding. 
I  do  not  believe  you  would  do  anything  which  you  knew  to  be 
wrong ;  and  yet  your  own  words  have  mystified  me.  I  cannot 
comprehend  them." 

"I  will  tell  you  all  about  it.  I  would  not  explain  anything 
to  her — I  could  not  after  she  had  told  me  what  he  said,"  Star 
answered,  but  her  face  flushed  with  shame  at  the  thought  of 
confessing  a  tale  of  love  and  devotion  on  her  part,  of  decep 
tion  and  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  man  whom  she  had  so 
trusted. 

It  seemed  to  her  like  a  lack  of  dignity  and  of  strength  of 
character  that  she  should  have  been  so  easily  duped. 

Then  she  told  him  all  the  story  of  her  love  for  Archibald 
Sherbrooke,  beginning  with  that  day  when  they  had  exchanged 
souvenirs  on  the  steamer,  and  which,  she  felt,  had  been  the 
commencement  of  their  love.  She  told  him  how  he  had  pre 
vented  her  from  leaping  on  the  cars  when  they  were  in  motion, 
and  how  every  day  after  that  he  had  contrived  to  meet  her, 
Luring  her  heart  from  her  day  by  day,  until  the  previous  Satur- 


204 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 


day  he  had  declared  his  love  for  her,  and  won  her  promise  to 
be  his  wife  as  soon  as  she  should  have  graduated. 

"Oh,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  concluded,  hiding  her  face  on  the 
arm  of  his  chair  again,  "  I  believed  him  so  true,  so  honorable, 
so  worthy  of  my  love,  and  now  to  find  him  so  unprincipled  and 
treacherous,  it  crushes  me  1" 

Mr.  Rosevelt  looked  very  grave,  almost  stern. 

"This  is  just  as  I  supposed — as  I  was  led  to  believe  from 
your  appearance  last  Saturday.  I  knew  well  enough,  when  we 
returned  home  from  Coney  Island,  that  you  had  promised  to 
be  Sherbrooke's  wife.  But  I  don't  understand  his  treachery, 
as  you  call  it,  nor  what  connection  all  this  has  with  the  young 
lord  who  has  come  to  ask  for  Josephine's  hand,"  he  said, 
coldly. 

Star  looked  up  again,  at  the  unfamiliar  tone. 

"Oh  !"  she  said,  wearily ;  "  I  am  so  miserable  that  I  have  not 
made  it  plain  to  you — I  have  not  told  you ;  but  Lord  Carrol  is 
only  another  name  for  the  man  who  called  himself  Archibald 
Sherbrooke.  Under  the  latter  he  cheated  me  into  loving  him, 
and  he  has  ruined  my  life ;  under  the  former,  which  is  his  rea/ 
name,  I  suppose,  he  has  been  trying  to  win  the  heiress. " 

Mr.  Rosevelt  was  speechless  from  amazement  at  this  revela 
tion,  and  for  a  full  minute  could  only  look  down  into  those 
piteous,  uplifted  eyes  in  mute  dismay. 

"Impossible!"  he  cried,  at  length.  "I  cannot  believe  it;  I 
cannot  think  that  young  Sherbrooke  would  be  guilty  of  any 
thing  so  dastardly.  There  must  be  some  mistake." 

"There  is  no  mistake,"  Star  returned,  with  despair  in  her 
tones.  "I  was  sitting  at  the  window  of  my  room  when  he 
arrived,  and,  of  course,  I  recognized  him  at  once.  His  form, 
his  bearing,  his  handsome  face,  the  tones  of  his  voice — every 
thing  was  identical  with  the  Archie  Sherbrooke  from  whom  we 
parted  last  Saturday  evening.  At  first  I  was  crushed  by  the 
blow;  then  I  thought  perhaps  Lord  Carrol  had  disappointed 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 


205 


them,  and  Archie  had  come  to  me  as  he  had  promised  to  do 
Monday  or  Tuesday ;  but  this  hope  fled  when  I  heard  them 
address  him  as  Lord  Carrol,  and  he  replied  at  once  to  the 
name.  It  has  broken  my  heart,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  wailed, 
pouring  out  all  her  sorrow  to  him.  "  I  do  not  know  how  I 
ever  lived  last  night  through  ;  I  do  not  believe  I  was  conscious 
half  the  time ;  while  to-day  I  have  been  too  weak,  and  ill,  and 
wretched  to  care  what  became  of  me. " 

"  Poor  child  !  poor  child  1"  he  murmured,  softly. 

"To-night,"  she  went  on,  "I  felt  as  if  I  must  get  out  into 
the  air.  I  must  see  a  friendly  face  and  hear  a  kindly  voice,  so 
I  came  to  you,  although  I  did  not  mean  to  tell  you  anything 
of  my  trouble.  I  meant  to  bear  it  alone,  and  never  let  any 
one  know  how  cruelly  I  had  been  deceived,  or  how  readily  I 
had  given  my  foolish  heart  away. " 

The  old  gentleman  laid  his  hand  on  her  shining  head, 
smoothing  her  hair  with  a  tender  touch.  He  was  nearly  weep 
ing  himself  to  see  this  beautiful  young  girl  so  crushed. 

"On  my  way  down  here,"  she  pursued,  "I  felt  faint;  my 
strength  all  left  me,  and  I  stopped  and  leaned  against  a  tree  to 
recover  myself,  and  while  I  stood  there  he  stole  up  behind  me, 
laid  his  hand  on  my  shoulder,  and  asked  me  in  surprise  how  J 
came  to  be  there.  I  gave  him  the  street  and  number  where 
we  lived  last  Saturday,  but  I  suppose  when  Mr.  Richards  and 
Josephine  went  to  meet  him  at  the  station  and  brought  him 
here,  he  did  not  once  think  it  was  the  same  place,  for  I  have 
never  told  him  their  names.  He  believed  me  to  be  a  poor  girl, 
and  never  would  have  thought  of  finding  me  in  a  place  like 
this;  that  was  why  he  was  so  overcome  with  surprise  when  he 
saw  me  to-night.  But  when  I  charged  him  with  personating 
two  characters — having  two  names — he  could  not  deny  it ;  he 
owned  that  he  was  Lord  Carrol,  but  tried  to  make  me  let  him 
explain.  I  would  not ;  there  could  be  nothing  to  explain.  He 
had  deceived  me,  and  it  was  enough ;  I  could  never  trust  him 


206  ST^Jt'S    DETERMINATION. 

ifter  that  I  called  him  a  traitor  and  a  coward,  and  then  I  ran 
iway  and  came  to  you,  who  are  the  only  friend  I  have  in  this 
wide,  weary  world." 

''You  did  right,  dear,  to  come  to  me;  but  were  you  not  a 
trifle  hasty  and  rash?  I  think  you  should  have  listened  to 
young  Sherbrooke's — or  whoever  he  may  be — defense,"  Mr. 
Rosevelt  said,  gently. 

"What  possible  defense  could  he  have  had  to  offer?"  Star 
cried,  in  a  voice  of  scorn.  "  He  has  pretended  to  be  Archibald 
Sherbrooke.  a  simple  artist,  to  me,  while  everybody  else  knows 
him  as  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton." 

"But  he  may  have  been  traveling  incognito  under  the  former 
name, "  suggested  Mr.  RosevelL 

"Then  why  did  he  not  keep  it  to  the  end?  Why  did  he  go 
to  a  fashionable  watering-place  and  flourish  as  a  titled  English 
man,  and  devote  himself  to  Josephine?  Why  did  he  resume 
the  former  name  upon  meeting  me  again,  and  lead  me  to  love 
him,  believing  him  to  be  a  poor  artist?  No;  there  can  be 
nothing  said  in  defense  of  such  double-dealing  as  this.  He 
has  cheated  and  fooled  me.  I  have  found  him  out,  and  com 
pelled  him  to  own  it.  It  is  enough  to  make  me  scorn  him  ; 
but  it  has  been  a  bitter  lesson,  and  has  taught  me  never  to  trust 
a  man  again,"  Star  concluded,  with  vehement  bitterness. 

"Never,  Star?  Surely  that  acrimonious  resolve  does  not  in 
clude  me, "said  Mr.  Rosevelt,  with  gentle  reproach. 

"No;  I  know  that  you  are  kind  and  true,  and  you  are  the 
only  one  in  the  world  who  cares  for  me,"  the  suffering  girl  said, 
in  husky  tones. 

"Indeed,  my  child,  you  have  become  very  dear  to  me,  and 
my  life  would  be  very  forlorn  without  you." 

Star  bent  down  and  touched  his  hand  with  her  lips.  In  her 
wretchedness  it  comforted  her  greatly  to  know  that  she  had  con 
tributed  to  his  happiness. 

'  But  I  cannot  get  over  what  you  have  told  rne.     I  nevex 


S TAX'S    DETERMINATION. 


207 


was  so  deceived  in  my  life  before ;  and  if  this  young  sprig  of 
English  nobility  is  the  villain  you  represent  him,  he  is  not  fit 
to  live,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  sternly,  after  a  few  moments  of 
ihoughtful  silence. 

Star  shivered  with  pain.  Much  as  she  believed  she  scorned 
him,  she  could  not  endure  that  another  should  speak  dis 
paragingly  of  him. 

"Never  mind  him,  Uncle  Jacob,"  she  said.     "I  have  put 
him  out  of  my  life  forever;  and  now  I  want  to  talk  to  you 
about  something  else.     You  say  that  I  have  made  your  life 
happier  since  you  came  here,  and  that  you  would  be  very 
lonely  without  me.      I  am  going  to  tell  you  a  little  secret,  and 
then  I  want  you  to  promise  to  go  away  from  here  with  me 
I  am  not  going  to  remain  here  another  day,"  she  concluded 
decidedly. 

' '  Is  that  your  secret,  Star  ?" 

"Part  of  it,"  she  answered,  with  a  sad  smile.  "I  have  a 
little  money,  as  you  know — a  hundred  pounds — which,  at  Mr. 
Richards'  suggestion,  I  put  at  interest  last  year.  Now,  I  want 
to  take  this  money  and  make  a  cozy  little  home  for  you  and 
me  somewhere,  until  I  get  through  school — there  will  be 
enough  to  last  till  then,  I  think — and  after  that  I  shall  be  able 
to  take  care  of  us  both  in  fine  style,  by  teaching  and  giving 
music  lessons." 

He  smiled  skeptically  as  she  planned  so  hopefully  what  her 
poor  hundred  pounds  would  do,  while  a  tear  started  to  his  eye 
at  her  thought  for  him. 

She  saw  that  he  did  not  think  she  could  do  all  that  she  told 
him,  and  flushed. 

"You  do  not  believe  that  I  shall  be  able  to  take  care  of  us 
both,"  she  said,  eagerly,  "but  I  know  that  I  can,  for  I  have 
not  yet  told  you  all.  Listen." 

She  bent  nearer  to  him,  and  putting  her  lips  close  to  his  ear, 


208  STAG'S    DETERMINATION. 

told  him  something  which  even  you  and  I  must  not  know  just 
yet,  my  patient  reader. 

He  was  nearly  as  much  surprised  as  he  had  been  to  learn  of 
Archibald  Sherbrooke's  treachery. 

"My  dear,  "he  said,  while  his  face  lighted  with  pride  and 
joy,  "you  shall  have  your  way,  and  I  will  do  just  as  you  wish, 
and  I " 

He  checked  himself  suddenly,  dropped  his  head  in  thought 
for  a  moment,  then  resumed  : 

"I  am  not  happy  here  any  more  than  yourself,  and  have 
been  thinking  for  some  time  that  I  must  go  away  ;  but  I  could 
not  bear  the  thought  of  parting  from  you.  Now  we  will  go 
together,  as  you  wish,  unless 

"Unless  what,  Uncle  Jacob?"  Star  asked,  anxiously. 

"Unless  you  will  let  me  see  this  young  scamp  of  a  lord,  and 
take  him  to  task  for  his  faithlessness  to  you." 

"Never!"  Star  replied,  proudly.  "What  good  would  it 
do  to " 

"There  may  be  some  mistake;  he  might  be  able  to  explain 
everything  satisfactorily,"  interrupted  Mr.  Rosevelt. 

Star's  beautiful  lips  curled. 

"What  would  his  explanations  amount  to?  He  is  here  as 
as  a  suitor  for  Josephine's  hand — they  all  confess  it;  and  did 
you  ever  listen  to  a  more  monstrous  story  than  Mrs.  Richards 
repeated  here  to-night?  To  think  that  he  could  say  anything 
so  basely  false  of  me  is  almost  enough  to  drive  me  wild,"  Star 
cried,  excitedly.  "No,  Uncle  Jacob;  although  he  has  been 
guilty  of  the  most  cruel  treachery,  I  will  not  contend  with  him. 
If  he  is  such  a  craven  that  he  would  try  to  win  a  young  girl's 
heart  for  the  amusement  of  breaking  it,  and  then  seek  to  blight 
her  fair  fame  by  charging  her  with  what  he  has  imputed  to  me 
to-night,  he  is  too  far  beneath  me  to  be  worthy  of  anything 
save  my  supreme  contempt,  a,nd  I  never  wish  to  meet  him 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 


209 


I  only  want  to  get  away  from  them  all,  and  never  see 
their  faces  more. " 

Her  voice  broke  with  such  a  wail  of  despair  in  it  that  the  old 
man  could  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  refuse  her  anything. 

' '  Very  well ;  we  will  go  away  to-morrow, "  he  said,  sorrow 
fully. 

"Oh,  thank  you,  Uncle  Jacob!"  the  unhappy  girl  said, 
eagerly;  "and  will  you  go  without  letting  them  know?  They 
would  never  consent,  and  I  do  not  wish  them  even  to  know 
where  I  go." 

"Yes;  we  will  go  without  saying  anything  to  any  one.  We 
can  leave  a  note  telling  them  why  we  go,  and  it  shall  be  the 
object  of  the  little  time  that  remains  to  me  to  care  for  you  and 
try  to  make  your  young  life  a  little  brighter  than  it  has  been," 
he  returned,  thoughtfully. 

"  How  early  can  you  be  ready?"  he  asked,  after  a  moment. 

"By  daylight;  the  earlier  the  better, "she  returned,  earnestly. 
"Every  moment  here  is  full  of  pain  for  me." 

"Very  well;  there  is  a  six  o'clock  train — the  workingmen's 
train — into  New  York ;  we  will  take  it,  and  find  a  home  for 
ourselves  somewhere  in  the  city.  But  how  about  your  school, 
Star?  They  will  seek  for  you  there." 

"I  will  go  to  Professor  Roberts  and  tell  him  that  circum 
stances  compel  me  to  leave,  and  ask  him  for  a  recommendation 
to  some  other  institute.  There  are  others  in  the  city  where 
they  would  never  dream  of  looking  for  me,  and  where  I  can 
graduate  next  year,  as  I  have  planned  to  do." 

"It  shall  be  just  as  you  wish,  my  dear;  I  feel  that  I  am 
doing  you  no  wrong  in  gratifying  you.  You  shall  be  like  a 
young  daughter  to  me,  and  I — I  promise  I  will  be  no  burden 
to  you,  notwithstanding  that  I  am  old  and  feeble,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
answered,  with  a  sad  smile. 

"A  burden!"  Star  repeated,  with  quivering  lips.  "Oh, 
please  do  not  imagine  such  a  thing  1  It  is  you  who  are  to  take 


2io  STAR'S    DETERMINATION. 

care  of  me  and  shield  me  until  I  graduate,  for  without  you  to 
help  me  bear  the  responsibility,  I  should  not  dare  to  take  such 
a  step. " 

Mr.  Rosevelt  smiled  again. 

"You  try  to  make  the  obligation  appear  all  your  own;  but 
I  share  it,  nevertheless ;  and  I  think  you  and  I  will  be  far  hap 
pier  away  from  the  unpleasant  influences  which  have  surrounded 
us  during  the  past  year.  I  am  quite  anticipating  the  change,  I 
assure  you.  Now  you  must  go  to  rest.  You  look  more  like  a 
ghost  than  a  star  just  now;  and  my  heart  has  been  deeply 
pained  to-night  for  the  suffering  that  you  have  had  to  endure  ; 
but  I  believe  it  will  yet  be  made  up  to  you  in  some  way,"  he 
concluded,  with  grave  thoughtfulness. 

He  sat  regarding  her  earnestly  for  a  few  moments.  Then  he 
said,  while  his  eyes  were  fixed  questioningly  on  her  face  : 

"This  is  a  different  kind  of  a  storm,  child,  from  the  one 
which  you  and  I  passed  through  at  sea.  Your  faith  was  strong 
then;  you  were  not  afraid  to  die;  how  is  it  now?  Do  you 
believe  your  God  rules  this  kind  of  a  storm  also  ?" 

There  was  a  skeptical  smile  on  the  old  man's  lips,  and  a 
bitterness  in  his  tone  as  he  asked  this,  which  filled  the  young 
girl's  heart  with  remorse. 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  a  startled  glance,  while  her  pained 
face  almost  instantly  relaxed  into  an  expression  of  trustfulness 
and  peace. 

"Uncle  Jacob,"  she  said,  with  a  solemn  sweetness  which 
impressed  him  deeply,  "you  could  not  have  said  anything  for 
which  I  should  thank  you  more — you  have  recalled  me  to 
myself.  I  should  not  have  forgotten  for  a  moment  that  God 
rules  everywhere  and  over  everything.  Yes,  I  believe  He  knows 
best,  even  though  I  cannot  understand  why  I  must  suffer  this 
bitter  trial. " 

The  old  man  sighed  deeply,  and  his  face  was  very  grave. 


STAR'S    DETERMINATION.  2II 

"Good-night!"  he  said,  abruptly,  and  rising,  led  her  to  the 
door. 

When  he  reached  it,  he  bent  suddenly  down  and  touched 
her  forehead  with  his  lips;  and  Star,  with  a  low-spoken  "good 
night,"  went  away  with  a  sorely  aching  heart,  indeed,  but 
greatly  comforted  by  his  sympathy,  while  a  spirit  of  submis 
sion  had  succeeded  to  the  bitterness  and  rebellion  of  the  pre 
vious  hour. 

Jacob  Rosevelt  locked  the  door  after  her,  and  went  back  to 
the  table  where  he  had  been  sitting  when  she  came  to  him. 

Opening  the  drawer,  he  took  out  a  package  of  papers  and 
letters,  which  he  carefully  looked  over. 

When  he  had  read  them  all,  he  selected  a  portion,  tore  them 
into  atoms,  and  throwing  them  into  the  grate  where  there  was 
a  slow  fire,  watched  them  until  they  had  burned  to  ashes,  with 
a  white,  stern  face.  Then  he  sat  down  again,  and  wrote  far 
into  the  night. 

The  next  morning  when  Mrs.  Blunt  went  up  to  see  how  Star 
was  feeling,  and  if  she  had  any  appetite  for  her  breakfast,  she 
found  her  room  empty. 

"Goodness  gracious  1  the  child  has  got  up  and  gone  to 
school,  and  without  a  mouthful  to  stay  her  stomach,  or  I'm 
much  mistaken,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  of  dismay. 

Then,  as  her  eye  fell  upon  the  open  drawers  of  the  bureau 
and  the  empty  closet,  a  sudden  fear  oppressed  her. 

A  little  note  lying  upon  the  bed  now  attracted  her  attention, 
and  she  eagerly  pounced  upon  it. 

It  was  directed  to  her,  and  with  trembling  fingers  she  opened 
it,  and  read : 

"DEAR  MRS.  BLUNT: — Something  has  occurred  which  makes  it  im 
possible  for  me  to  remain  here  any  longer,  and  I  am  going  away  to  take 
care  of  myself.  You  have  always  been  very  kind  to  me,  and  I  thank  you 
very  much  for  it,  and  shall  never  forget  it.  Sometime  I  hope  to  see  you 
again,  and  I  trust  you  will  always  think  kindly  of 

"STELLA  GLADSTONE." 


212  FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

The  good  woman  sat  down  and  wept  bitter  tears  over  this 
brief  note,  for  she  had  learned  to  love  the  bright,  kind-hearted 
girl  who  always  had  a  cheery  word  for  her.  She  knew  the 
house  would  never  seem  the  same  again  without  her. 

Then  she  went  down  to  tell  the  news  to  her  master.  She 
met  John  Mellen  in  the  hall,  who  had  come  with  the  intelli 
gence  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  left  the  lodge  early  that  morning, 
taking  all  that  belonged  to  him — "which  was  not  much,  yer 
honor,"  he  volunteered,  and  he  handed  Mr  Richards  a  note 
which  the  old  gentleman  had  left  for  him. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

FRUITLESS     EFFORTS. 

Mr.  Richards  and  his  family  were  thrown  into  considerable 
confusion  by  the  double  surprise  which  this  morning  revealed 
to  them. 

He  was  really  a  kind  man  at  heart,  and  had  been  very  much 
troubled  by  the  way  that  his  wife  had  conducted  herself  toward 
her  aged  uncle,  and  also  by  her  unfeeling  usage  of  Star. 

Mrs.  Richards,  however,  found  it  difficult  to  conceal  her  satis 
faction  at  the  turn  events  had  taken.  She  kept  her  own  counsel 
regarding  her  knowledge  of  what  had  transpired  during  the  in 
terview  between  her  husband  and  the  young  lord ;  neither  did 
she  consider  it  necessary  to  mention  the  stormy  scene  which 
had  occurred  at  the  lodge  the  previous  evening,  in  which  she 
was  so  prominent  an  actor. 

"Josephine  shall  have  everything  her  own  way  now,"  she 
thought,  exultantly;  "at  all  events,  that  girl  shall  never  triumph 
over  my  daughter  by  becoming  Lady  Carrol. " 


FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

Mr.  Richards  declared  that  he  should  go  immediately  in 
search  of  the  fugitives.  He  could  not  endure  the  thought  that 
the  delicate  young  girl  and  feeble  old  man  should  go  out  into 
the  world  to  earn  their  own  living,  for  this  he  supposed  they 
would  be  obliged  to  do,  since  what  little  money  he  knew  Star 
to  be  possessed  of  could  not  support  them  both  a  great  while. 

But  Mrs.  Richards  indignantly  objected  to  this  proceeding. 

"Let  them  alone,"  she  said,  angrily;  "they  will  not  thank 
you  for  your  trouble,  and  doubtless  would  refuse  to  return  if 
you  should  succeed  in  finding  them.  I  am  sure  they  have 
shown  precious  little  gratitude  for  what  we  have  already  done 
for  them.  Uncle  Jacob  savs  in  his  note  that  it  has  been  very 
unpleasant  for  him  here,  and  if  such  is  the  case,  let  him  go 
where  he  will  fare  better  if  he  can  find  such  a  place.  As  for 
that  proud-spirited,  independent  girl,  I  never  want  to  see  her 
again ;  I  am  glad  to  be  rid  of  her." 

Mr.  Richards  did  not  reply  to  this  tirade,  but  he  felt  very 
sorrowful,  for  every  day  only  seemed  to  reveal  some  new  trait 
of  selfishness  and  heartlessness  in  his  wife,  which  served  to 
detract  from  his  respect  for  her 

.  Nothing  of  all  this,  however,  was  mentioned  before  their 
guests,  and  when  after  breakfast  Lord  Carrol  sought  his  host 
in  the  library  to  make  further  arrangements  for  an  interview 
with  Star,  he  was  astonished  and  dismayed  by  the  intelligence 
which  he  received  regarding  her  secret  departure  with  Mr. 
RosevelL 

' '  Have  you  any  idea  where  they  can  have  gone  ?"  he  asked, 
with  a  very  pale,  anxious  face. 

"Not  the  slightest,"  Mr.  Richards  answered,  "and  I  am 
deeply  concerned  about  the  affair.  You  will  believe  me,  I  am 
sure,  when  I  tell  you  that  I  admire  Miss  Gladstone  exceed 
ingly,  although  I  am  obliged  to  confess  with  shame  that  her 
sojourn  with  us  has  not  been  made  as  pleasant  as  it  might 
have  been. " 


3i4  FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

Mr.  Richards  made  this  confession  with  a  lowering  brow  and 
in  a  stern  tone. 

"I  judged  that  she  was  not  happy  here  from  something  that 
she  dropped  last  night, "  Lord  Carrol  said,  gravely.  ' '  And, "  he 
added,  with  evident  embarrassment,  "it  is  a  delicate  topic  to 
touch  upon,  but  I  believe  plain  dealing  is  best — she  also  slated 
that  it  is  generally  believed  in  your  household  that  I  am  here 
as  a  suitor  for  Miss  Richards'  hand.  I  trust,  however,  that  there 
has  been  no  such  misunderstanding  as  this.  I  enjoyed  a  very 
pleasant  month  at  Long  Branch  with  both  your  wife  and 
daughter.  Perhaps  I  sought  their  society  more  than  might 
have  been  deemed  proper  unless  I  had  serious  intentions ;  but 
this  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  I  discovered  Mrs.  Richards  to 
be  of  English  birth,  and  knowing  something  of  her  friends 
abroad,  it  seemed  to  become  a  bond  between  us,  out  of  which 
a  friendship  naturally  sprung.  Mrs.  Richards  very  kindly  in 
vited  me  to  make  one  of  a  party  here,  and  I  accepted  her  in 
vitation — I  give  you  my  word  of  honor  upon  it — with  only 
thoughts  of  friendship  and  the  pleasure  of  meeting  congenial 
company,  and  with  the  intention,  if  she  ever  came  abroad,  of 
returning  her  hospitality  in  the  same  spirit.  I  hope — I  trust, 
my  dear  sir,  that  my  coming  here  thus  has  not  been  miscon 
strued,  or  placed  Miss  Richards  in  an  awkward  position." 

The  young  man's  face  shone  with  a  look  of  real  concern  as 
he  concluded,  and  Mr.  Richards  was  convinced  that,  notwith 
standing  his  wife  had  asserted  that  he  would  propose  to  Jose 
phine,  he  had  never  entertained  any  serious  intentions  regard 
ing  her. 

"It  is  all  right,  my  young  friend,"  he  responded,  heartily, 
ind  feeling  great  respect  for  him  for  his  straightforwardness. 
'I  am  satisfied  that  you  have  been  perfectly  honorable,  although 
I  must  confess  that  I  was  greatly  astonished  last  night  to  learn 
that  Star  was  the  object  of  your  affection.  I  regret  sincerely  the 
misunderstanding  that  has  arisen  between  you,  but  we  will  do 


FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 


215 


what  we  can  to  find  the  missing  girl,  and  I  trust  that  then  it 
will  not  take  long  to  effect  a  reconciliation." 

' '  Thank  you, "  the  young  lord  said,  but  he  looked  very  grave, 
for  he  did  not  feel  as  if  it  would  be  a  very  easy  matter  to  find 
Star.  He  knew  that  underneath  her  usual  gentleness  and  sweet 
ness  there  lay  a  strength  of  purpose  and  determination  which 
would  lead  her  to  do  thoroughly  whatever  she  undertook,  and 
if  she  had  gone  away  to  hide  from  him  it  would  take  both 
patience  and  sagacity  to  find  her. 

However,  he  resolved  to  devote  all  his  time  before  the  day 
set  for  his  return  should  arrive  in  searching  for  her ;  and  acting 
at  once  upon  this  decision,  he  sought  Mrs.  Richards  and  Jose 
phine,  telling  them  that,  much  as  he  regretted  doing  so,  be 
should  be  obliged  to  cut  his  visit  short,  as  business  of  impor 
tance  called  him  unexpectedly  away. 

Josephine  was  bitterly  disappointed  and  chagrined,  for  she 
was  as  yet  in  total  ignorance  as  to  the  cause  of  his  departure, 
and  Mrs.  Richards  for  the  moment  was  rendered  speechless 
from  indignation.  She  had  not  once  thought  that  he  would  go 
away  before  the  expiration  of  his  week. 

"We  shall  see  you  again,  I  trust,  before  you  leave  America," 
Josephine  said,  with  her  sweetest  smile,  as  he  took  her  hand  at 
parting. 

"Perhaps  so;  I  cannot  tell,"  he  answered,  absently. 

"We  return  to  Brooklyn  next  week,"  Mrs.  Richards  now 
managed  to  say.  "If  you  are  in  New  York,  you  surely  will  find 
time  to  run  over  and  call  upon  us  now  and  then." 

"Thank  you.  I  may  be  able  to  do  so,"  he  replied,  cour 
teously  ;  and  then,  with  a  somewhat  formal  bow,  he  went  away 
to  seek  for  his  lost  love. 

"What  under  the  sun  is  the  matter  with  Lord  Carrol  this 
morning,  mamma?  He  does  not  appear  like  himself  at  all; 
and  what  has  possessed  him  to  go  away  so  soon?"  Josephine 


216  FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

cried,  nearly  ready  to  weep  as  the  door  closed  upon  the  man 
she  loved,  and  she  was  left  alone  with  her  mother. 

Mrs.  Richards  then  related  what  she  had  overheard  the  pre 
vious  evening,  and  told  her  also  of  her  subsequent  interview 
with  Star  and  Mr.  Rosevelt,  and  the  news  that  had  come  to 
them  that  morning  of  their  flight 

Josephine  listened  to  her  in  dumb  amazement,  hardly  able 
to  comprehend  the  romantic  story. 

"That  girl  has  done  nothing  but  set  everybody  by  the  ears 
ever  since  she  entered  this  house, "she  burst  forth,  at  length, 
quivering  in  every  nerve  with  anger.  ' '  Lord  Carrol  in  love  with 
her!  I  cannot  comprehend  it,  and  I  think  it  is  scandalous  for 
him  to  confess  it,  after  the  marked  attention  that  he  paid  me  at 
Long  Branch." 

"I  think  so,  too,"  Mrs.  Richards  echoed,  but  rather  faintly, 
for  she  knew  how  Josephine  had  almost  been  thrown  at  him, 
so  to  speak. 

"Well,  I  am  glad  she  is  gone,"  the  excited  girl  continued. 
"  I  hope  now  that  we  shall  be  able  to  take  some  comfort.  She 
bewitched  papa  with  her  pretty  face,  her  music,  and  pretended 
love  of  study.  She  was  an  artful  thing,  making  herself  so  con 
spicuous  at  school  that  even  the  newspapers  took  it  up,  and 
was  so  puffed  up  on  account  of  it  that  her  airs  were  insuffer 
able.  It  is  a  mercy  that  Uncle  Jacob  lost  his  fortune  before 
he  came  to  us,  or  she  would  have  been  likely  to  wheedle  him 
out  of  it" 

"She  has  been  as  sly  as  a  fox,"  commented  Mrs.  Richards, 
wrathfully,  her  ire  against  poor,  unoffending  Star  waxing  hotter 
and  hotter,  for  she  was  as  bitterly  disappointed  to  lose  his 
lordship  as  a  son-in-law  as  Josephine  was  to  lose  him  as  a 
husband. 

"I  never  heard  anything  like  it.  To  think  of  his  being 
engaged  to  her,  and  we  never  suspecting  such  a  thing!  I'll 
bet,"  the  refined  young  lady  continued,  as  a  bright  idea  struck 


FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 


217 


her,  "that  she  went  away  to  meet  him  last  Saturday,  and  that 
was  why  she  was  rigged  out  so.  That  must  be  the  secret  of 
her  insolence  to  me.  She  knew  she  was  soon  to  become 
Lady  Carrol,  and  she  was  trying  how  it  would  seem  to  lord  it 
over  me." 

"You  forget,  Josephine,"  interposed  her  mother,  "that  she 
did  not  know  anything  about  his  title,  and  so  you  are  all  wrong 
in  your  surmises." 

"True, "she  replied,  somewhat  crest-fallen;  "but  when  do 
you  suppose  he  engaged  himself  to  her?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know — very  recently,  he  said.  I  tried 
to  make  her  tell  me  about  it  last  night,  but  I  couldn't  get  a 
word  out  of  her.  One  would  have  thought,  by  the  way  that 
she  faced  me,  that  she  was  already  my  lady  somebody.  But  I 
reckon  I  fixed  it  so  that  she  will  not  be  at  present.  I  made  her 
think  that  his  lordship  had  told  the  story  in  a  way  to  make  her 
appear  as  ridiculous  as  possible,  and  she  has  gone  away,  be 
lieving  him  to  be  as  faithless  as  it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to 
be;"  and  the  hard-hearted  woman  threw  herself  back  in  her 
chair  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction  at  the  thought. 

"It  is  a  shame,  anyhow.  Everything  has  gone  wrong,  and 
I — I  really  was  fond  of  him, "  Josephine  confessed,  with  a  pas 
sion  of  tears. 

Mrs.  Richards'  face  darkened.  She  never  could  tolerate  any 
thing  which  interfered  with  the  desires  and  whims  of  her  only 
child. 

"Well,  we  will  not  give  up  hope,  even  yet,"  she  said,  trying 
to  speak  comfortingly.  "We  shall  go  back  to  Brooklyn  next 
week,  and  we  will  try  to  see  him  as  often  as  we  can.  We  will 
visit  his  studio,  and  look  at  his  pictures  and  those  of  his  friends, 
and  if  he  is  unsuccessful  in  his  search  for  that  girl,  he  may  turn 
to  you  again  for  comfort." 

"  I  cannot  get  over  it  that  she,  with  her  great  eyes  and  yellow 
hair,  should  have  attracted  him  and  won  him,  when  we  have 


2i8  FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

strained  every  nerve  and  spent  hundreds  for  him, "  Josephine 
said,  angrily. 

At  this  moment  a  servant  entered  the  room  and  handed  her 
a  note. 

She  opened  it  eagerly  and  read  it. 

Her  face  flushed  a  deep  crimson,  and,  with  a  passionate  ges 
ture,  she  instantly  tore  it  in  two. 

"What  is  it?"  questioned  her  mother. 

"It  is  too  dreadful!"  the  spoilt  beauty  cried,  stamping  her 
foot;  "and  I  believe  that  girl  will  be  the  death  of  me  yet." 

"Tell  me  what  it  is,"  persisted  Mrs.  Richards,  growing  pale. 

"It  is  a  note  from  Lord  Carrol  himself,"  Josephine  answered, 
her  cheeks  still  hot  from  mortification  and  anger.  "When  we 
were  at  Long  Branch,  he  noticed  this  cameo  ring  that  I  wear — 
I  happened  to  put  it  on  the  last  night  that  we  were  there,  un 
fortunately — and  said  that  it  was  very  much  like  one  which 
belonged  to  a  friend  of  his.  He  appeared  rather  strangely 
when  he  said  it,  and  told  me  that  his  friend's  name  was  Archi 
bald  Sherbrooke.  Of  course  I  can  understand  now  why  he 
would  not  say  that  it  had  belonged  to  him.  I  told  him  that  it 
was  given  to  me  by  a  relative,  and  he  did  not  appear  like  him 
self  after  that." 

"But  how  came  you  by  it — who  gave  it  to  you?"  interrupted 
her  mother,  who  had  never  noticed  the  ring  until  now,  for 
Josephine  had  so  many  trinkets  that  she  could  not  keep  track 
of  them  all. 

The  girl  flushed  again,  guiltily. 

"To  tell  the  truth,  it  belonged  to  Stella,"  she  confessed, 
reluctantly,  "and  it  was  such  an  exquisite  little  thing  that  I 
took  a  notion  to  have  it.  I  offered  to  buy  it  of  her,  but  she 
wouldn't  hear  a  word  of  it,  saying  she  '  prized  it  too  highly  as 
the  gift  of  a  friend.'  But  I  was  bound  to  have  it,  and  went  to 
her  room  one  day  and  took  it,  and  had  it  made  into  a  ring,  for 
it  was  in  the  shape  of  a  pin.  Of  course  I  intended  to  return 


FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

it  sometime,  but  I  meant  her  to  understand  that  a  girl  in  her 
dependent  position  had  no  business  to  refuse  so  simple  a  re 
quest.  The  initials  A.  S.,  with  two  strawberry  leaves,  their 
stems  crossed,  are  engraved  on  it,  and  I  knew,  when  he  de 
scribed  it  to  me,  that  it  was  '  his  iriend ' — or  rather  himself,  as 
it  appears  now — who  had  given  it  to  her.  I  heartily  wish  now 
that  I  had  let  it  alone.  But  just  listen  to  this." 

Miss  Richards  took  the  pieces  of  the  note,  which  she  had 
held  crumpled  in  her  hand,  and  putting  them  together,  rea<7 
the  following : 

"  Oct.  loth,  188— . 

"  Miss  RICHARDS  : — Doubtless  before  you  receive  this  you  will  havf 
learned  that  Archibald  Sherbrooke — whom  I  represented  to  you  as  nf 
friend,  for  reasons  which  you  cannot  now  fail  to  understand — and  Lof 
Carrol  are  one  and  the  same  person.  Under  the  former  name,  which  was 
the  only  one  which  belonged  to  me  at  that  time,  I  became  acquainted  with 
Miss  Gladstone  on  shipboard,  and  was  so  pleased  with  her  that,  at  parting, 
I  exchanged  souvenirs  with  her,  giving  her  a  little  cameo  which  I  prized 
very  highly.  It  is  the  same  one  which  you  have  had  made  into  a  ring. 
When  I  met  Miss  Gladstone  a  short  time  since  she  remarked  that  she  had 
'  lost '  my  gift ;  last  night  she  told  me  how  she  had  '  lost '  it,  and  I  would 
respectfully  ask  you  to  send  it  to  the  inclosed  address,  that  I  may  retun 
it  to  the  owner,  should  I  be  so  happy  as  to  find  her. 
"Very  respectfully, 

"ARCHIBALD  SHERBROOKE,  Bart.,  and 
Lord  CARROL,  of  Carrolton." 

"Why  on  earth  can't  you  let  other  folks'  things  alone,  Jose 
phine?"  cried  Mrs.  Richards,  when  her  daughter  had  finished 
reading  this  formal  note,  and  feeling  almost  faint  from  mortifi 
cation  upon  learning  of  this  disgraceful  episode  in  her  life.  "I'm 
sure,"  she  added,  reproachfully,  "you  have  trinkets  enough 
without  taking  the  only  thing  a  poor  girl  had." 

"  Isn't  your  commiseration  somewhat  ill-timed,  mamma,  for 
the  '  poor  girl,'  now  that  she  is  not  here  to  reap  the  benefit  of 
it?"  sneered  the  dutiful  young  lady.  "I  don't  care;  it  is  an 
elegant  trifle,  anyhow,  and  I've  half  a  mind  to  keep  it,  in 


3  j0  FRUITLESS    EFFORTS. 

spite  of  his  lordship's  demand,"  she  added,  defiantly,  as  she 
held  up  her  hand,  on  which  the  ring  gleamed,  and  regarded  it 
covetously. 

But  she  did  return  it,  nevertheless ;  she  did  not  quite  dare  to 
retain  it,  particularly  as  she  could  not  relinquish  all  hope  of 
winning  the  young  lord  even  yet 

Mr.  Richards,  accompanied  by  Lord  Carrol,  proceeded  with 
all  possible  dispatch  to  New  York,  and  thence  to  Brooklyn, 
where  they  went  directly  to  the  seminary  which  Star  attended, 
and  inquired  for  her. 

It  was  only  half-past  ten  when  they  arrived  there,  but  early 
as  it  was,  Professor  Roberts  told  them  that  she  had  come  at  the 
usual  hour  and  severed  her  connection  with  the  school,  and 
very  much  to  his  regret,  he  added,  as  he  considered  her  one  of 
the  most  promising  members  of  the  senior  class. 

Both  gentlemen  looked  blank  at  this  information  ;  they  did 
not  suppose  Star  would  be  so  energetic  to  cover  all  traces  of 
her  flight. 

She  had  asked,  the  professor  said,  for  a  recommendation, 
that  she  might  more  easily  enter  some  other,  as  she  hoped  to 
be  able  to  complete  her  course,  although  she  did  not  tell  him 
where  she  was  going. 

"And  I  did,"  he  continued;  "I  gave  her  the  very  best  one 
that  could  be  put  into  words,  for  she  deserved  it.  But  what  is 
this  you  tell  me — that  she  has  left  her  home  without  the  knowl 
edge  of  her  friends?"  and  he  appeared  deeply  troubled. 

"Yes;  but  it  is  only  on  account  of  a  slight  misunderstand 
ing,  and  one  which  would  have  been  very  easily  explained  if 
she  had  not  been  quite  so  hasty ;  and  I  hope  we  shall  be  able 
to  find  her  and  make  it  right  very  soon." 

"I  trust  so;  I  am  very  sorry  to  part  with  her,"  said  the  pro 
fessor,  gravely,  while  he  measured  the  young  lord  with  his 
keen  eyes,  mistrusting  that  he  was  somehow  concerned  in  the 
mystery.  "I  had  anticipated  taking  her  through  the  course 


FRUITLESS    EFFORTS.  221 

and  presenting  her  with  her  diploma.  I  tell  you,  sir,  Miss 
Gladstone  bids  fair  to  become  a  most  brilliant  woman.  Why, 
the  essay  which  she  read  at  our  last  commencement  would 
have  been  a  credit  to  the  most  profound  literary  talent  in  the 
country." 

Lord  Carrol's  eyes  glowed  at  these  praises  of  his  darling ;  but 
Mr.  Richards  winced  under  them,  for  his  conscience  was  smiting 
him  keenly  for  ever  having  allowed  Star  to  occupy  so  question 
able  a  position  in  his  family. 

"You  will  oblige  me  if  you  will  account  for  her  absence  in 
some  casual  way,  if  you  are  questioned  about  it,"  he  said.  "I 
should  be  sorry  to  have  anything  unpleasant  said  of  her." 

"Certainly;  you  may  rely  upon  my  being  very  discreet,  for 
her  sake,"  Professor  Roberts  returned,  somewhat  stiffly. 

He  bowed  his  visitors  out,  and  then  returned  to  his  duties; 
but  all  day  long,  and  for  many  days,  he  missed  the  bright, 
earnest  face  of  his  "most  promising  scholar,"  her  brilliant 
recitations,  and  the  respectful  attention  which  she  had  always 
given  him. 

As  for  Mr.  Richards  and  Lord  Carrol,  their  way  seemed  sud 
denly  hedged  up;  they  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn  next. 
They  knew  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  find  any  one  in  the 
great  city  of  New  York,  and  it  was  possible  that  the  fugitives 
had  left  the  metropolis,  although  Mr.  Richards,  knowing  how 
ambitious  Star  was  to  complete  her  education,  was  inclined  to 
think  she  would  remain  there  until  she  had  accomplished 
this  end. 

Still  Lord  Carrol  was  determined  not  to  relinquish  his  search 
for  her,  and  he  neglected  painting  and  everything  else,  riding 
from  one  end  of  the  city  to  another  day  after  day,  unwearied ly 
visiting  schools  on  week  days,  and  haunting  churches  on  Sun 
day,  until  the  day  of  his  departure  arrived;  but  all  his  efforts 
were  unavailing  and  fruitless. 

An  advertisement  was  inserted  in  all  the  daily  papers. 


222  THE     GOAL    REACHED. 

"Star,  let  me  justify  myself!"  That  was  all;  and  Star,  in 
her  hiding-place,  read  it  many  times  with  curling  lips  and 
scornful  eyes. 

' '  There  can  be  no  justification, "  she  said  ;  ' '  one  man  bear 
ing  two  names  and  deceiving  two  girls,  can  never  be  justified." 

But  her  heart  ached  none  the  less,  for,  with  shame  she  owned 
it,  she  loved  him  still.  The  days  seemed  endless,  her  duties 
arduous  and  monotonous ;  she  grew  thin,  her  step  lost  its 
elasticity,  and  she  was  as  miserable  as  even  Josephine,  in  her 
most  malicious  mood,  could  have  wished. 

November  came,  and  with  it  the  day  of  Archibald  Sherbrooke's 
sailing  for  England. 

No  one  ever  returned  to  his  native  land  with  a  sadder  heart 
and  deeper  regret  than  the  young  Lord  of  Carrolton,  and  he 
would  not  have  gone  even  then,  but  that  some  urgent  business 
connected  with  his  uncle's  estate,  and  his  duties  as  his  heir, 
imperatively  demanded  it.  He  would  have  much  preferred  to 
remain  and  search  for  the  fair  girl  whom  he  loved  so  devotedly. 

But  he  resolved  to  return  to  America  at  the  earliest  possible 
date  and  resume  his  efforts  to  find  her. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

THE     GOAL     REACHED. 

The  winter  passed,  the  summer  came  again,  and  on  a  sunny 
day  in  June  the  great  chapel  of  the  Normal  College  of  New  York 
city  was  packed  with  human  beings  to  its  utmost  capacity. 

Upon  the  broad  platform  were  seated  the  professors,  the 
\utors,  and  guests,  while  the  body  of  the  vast  hall  was  filled 


THE    GOAL    REACHED. 


223 


with  its  fifteen  hundred  students,  attentive  and  vigilant  like  so 
many  soldiers  at  their  posts. 

These  were  girls  all  the  way  from  fourteen  to  twenty  years  of 
age ;  girls  of  every  shade  of  complexion  and  degree  of  beauty, 
or  the  reverse ;  bright  maidens  with  latent  mischief  twinkling 
in  their  eyes,  of  every  variety  of  color  and  shade ;  lasses  of 
mercurial  temperament,  such  as  keep  a  household  in  a  state  of 
excitement  and  tumult,  brimming  with  animal  spirits  and  kit 
tenish  pranks.  Others  there  were,  however,  with  quiet  serenity 
and  dignity  of  manner,  having  sweet,  clear-cut  faces,  and  gentle 
ways  shining  through  their  countenances ;  and  those,  too — let 
us  whisper  it — with  a  suspicion  of  the  vixen  and  virago ;  prudes 
and  tomboys,  angels  and  shrews — all  mixed  indiscriminately 
in  that  immense  place,  gathered  for  the  final  act  of  the  school 
year — the  graduating  exercises,  the  distributing  of  the  diplomas, 
and  the  departure  of  the  senior  class  from  the  halls  of  learning 
out  into  the  great  world,  there  to  take  up  their  duties  as 
teachers. 

Among  the  large  number  of  this  class  who  occupy,  on  this 
occasion,  the  front  seats  in  the  chapel,  there  is  one  quiet  figure, 
having  a  pale,  delicate  face,  large,  deep  blue  eyes,  and  a  fair, 
gleaming  brow,  shaded  by  hair  of  brightest  gold,  which  more 
than  one  of  the  numerous  visitors  have  singled  out  from  her 
sister  graduates,  on  account  of  her  peculiar  loveliness  and  an 
indefinite  something  which  seems  to  appeal  to  them  from  the 
depths  of  her  lovely  but  rather  sorrowful  eyes. 

Slight  of  form,  unassuming  in  manner,  but  with  a  dainty, 
star-like  beauty  that  was  almost  magnetic  in  its  influence,  sha 
sat  quietly  in  her  seat  until  one  of  the  professors  announced 
the  "Address  in  French,"  as  per  programme,  when  she  arose, 
and  Miss  Star  Gladstone  at  once  stepped  upon  the  platform, 
saluting  first  the  officers,  teachers,  and  guests,  then  her  fellow- 
students,  with  a  charming  little  bov/  and  a  gracefull  inclination 
of  her  body. 


224  THE    GOAL 

In  clear,  bell-like  tones  she  began  her  address,  without  the 
slightest  appearance  of  self-consciousness  or  embarrassment, 
rolling  out  sentence  after  sentence  in  the  smoothest  and  purest 
of  French,  until  those  who  were  well  versed  in  the  language 
wondered  at  such  proficiency  in  one  so  young,  while  those  who 
could  not  understand  it  were  spell-bound  by  her  exquisite  voice 
and  graceful  gestures. 

Star  had  been  well  taught  in  French  before  coming  to  this 
country,  until  it  had  become  almost  like  her  native  tongue; 
therefore,  after  a  year  of  arduous  study  under  the  best  of  teachers 
at  the  Normal  College,  it  is  not  strange  that  she  should  have 
been  chosen,  on  account  of  her  purity  of  accent,  to  deliver  the 
French  oration. 

"Who  is  she?"  questioned  one  of  the  visitors  of  a  teacher. 

"Miss  Gladstone,"  she  answered,  pointing  to  the  name  on 
the  programme. 

"How  lovely  she  is,  in  that  simple  lace  bunting,  trimmed 
with  its  knots  of  blue  ribbon,  and  those  blush-roses  in  her 
belt !" 

"So  I  think,"  the  teacher  replied,  with  an  affectionate  glance 
at  Star.  "She  has  only  been  with  us  a  year,  however.  She 
was  hardly  up  to  the  mark  when  she  entered  the  class, 
although  she  came  highly  recommended  by  Professor  Roberts, 
of  Brooklyn.  Our  standard,  you  know,  is  very  high.  But  she 
was  anxious  to  enter  the  senior  class,  and  assured  us  that  she 
would  not  drag,  and  said  she  was  particularly  anxious  to  gradu 
ate  this  year. " 

"And  she  has  done  well,  I  am  sure, "the  visitor  said,  bending 
another  admiring  glance  upon  the  fair  graduate. 

"She  has  been  one  of  the  most  brilliant  scholars  of  the  class. 
Her  recitations  have  been  wonderful.  I  do  not  think  she  has 
made  a  single  failure'during  the  entire  year.  If  she  had  been 
with  us  throughout  the  course,  she  must  have  taken  the  valedic- 


THE    GOAL    REACHED.  325 

tory ;  but  she  has  acquitted  herself  grandly  in  the  French  essay, 
which  she  composed  and  translated  herself." 

' '  She  has,  indeed.  I  never  heard  purer  French  spoken,  even 
in  Paris.  Does  she  live  in  the  city?" 

"I  believe  so,  although  I  do  not  know  where.  She  comes 
and  goes  very  quietly,  and  her  clothing  indicates  that  her 
friends,  whoever  they  may  be,  are  in  limited  circumstances. 
She  appears  to  have  no  intimates,  and  yet  she  is  a  favorite  with 
all.  There  must  be  some  sorrowful  story  connected  with  her 
life,  I  think,  for  there  is  a  haunting  sadness  in  her  eyes  whenever 
they  meet  yours,  except  when  she  smiles  or  becomes  animated 
in  conversation;  then  she  is  charming." 

"I  should  like  to  know  her,"  said  the  first  speaker,  musingly; 
but  President  Hunter  here  arose  to  distribute  the  diplomas, 
and  she  gave  her  attention  to  his  remarks,  although  her  glance 
frequently  sought  the  lovely  face  which  had  so,  attracted  her 
attention. 

The  subject  of  the  above  conversation,  although  unconscious 
of  it,  was  none  the  less  worthy  of  it. 

After  leaving  Jacob  Rosevelt  on  the  night  of  her  exciting  in' 
terview  with  Mrs.  Richards,  she  sped  swiftly  back  to  her  room, 
where  she  gathered  together  a  few  articles  of  clothing  and 
packed  them  into  a  small  valise ;  her  school-books  also,  with 
her  portfolio  and  the  small  box  which  had  so  aroused  Jose 
phine's  curiosity  that  day  when  she  went  to  steal  Star's  lovely 
cameo. 

These  preparations  ended,  she  retired  to  rest. 

She  awoke  long  before  daylight,  and  dressing  herself  in  a 
dark  street  dress,  she  sat  down  by  the  window  to  wait  for  the 
dawn. 

She  penned  that  little  note  to  Mrs.  Blunt  the  last  thing  before 
leaving  the  house.  The  woman  had  been  so  kind  to  her  that 
she  could  not  find  it  in  her  heart  to  go  away  without  a  single 
word  of  farewell ;  to  the  others  she  gave  not  a  thought. 


226  THE    GOAL    REACHED. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light  enough,  she  stole  softly  down  staire 
and  out  at  the  front  door,  as  it  was  nearer,  and,  besides,  some 
of  the  servants  might  be  up  if  she  went  out  the  back  way,  and 
turned  her  back  forever  upon  the  house  in  which  she  had  only 
been  "tolerated." 

When  she  reached  the  lodge,  she  found  Mr.  Rosevelt  waiting 
for  her  on  the  vine-covered  porch. 

He  smiled  a  silent  good-morning,  motioning  her  not  to 
speak,  with  a  gesture  which  told  her  that  John  Mellen's  wife 
was  not  far  off;  and  together  they  went  out  from  the  grounds 
by  a  side  gate  and  proceeded  toward  the  station. 

They  were  in  time  for  the  early  morning  train,  and  reached 
New  York  long  before  the  household  which  they  had  left  behind 
were  aware  of  their  flight. 

"We  will  go  to  some  quiet  street  and  board  for  a  few  days," 
Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  as  they  sat  down  in  the  waiting-room  of  the 
station  to  consult  upon  what  was  best  to  be  done.  "You  must 
not  lose  a  day  of  school  if  you  can  help  it.  I  know  just  the 
place  for  us,  I  think,  where  there  is  a  good,  motherly  soul  of  a 
landlady.  Perhaps  she  will  know  of  some  rooms  which  we  can 
obtain  at  a  reasonable  price  until  you  graduate,  and  then,  per 
haps,  you  may  not  care  to  remain  in  New  York." 

Star  assented  to  this  plan,  and  they  repaired  to  the  boarding- 
place  which  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  mentioned,  and  found  the  "good, 
motherly  soul "  very  willing  to  take  them  in. 

After  partaking  of  a  simple  but  wholesome  breakfast,  Stai 
went  at  once  to  Brooklyn,  and  had  an  interview  with  Professoi 
Roberts,  as  we  already  know. 

She  told  him  just  as  little  as  was  possible,  but  said  that  cir 
cumstances  obliged  her  to  make  a  change,  although  she  had 
not  yet  decided  where  she  should  pursue  her  education. 

She  was  surprised  at  the  recommendation  which  he  gave  her, 
for  it  was  indeed  the  very  best  that  he  could  put  into  words, 


THE    GOAL    REACHED,  227 

and  she  felt  very  sad  when  he  shook  her  cordially  by  the  hand 
and  expressed  his  regret  at  being  obliged  to  part  with  her. 

On  her  way  back  to  New  York  she  decided,  if  she  could 
pass  the  examination,  she  would  enter  the  Normal  College, 
believing  that  among  the  multitude  who  attended  there  she 
would  escape  observation  more  easily  than  in  a  smaller  school. 

She  went  immediately  to  the  corner  of  Sixty-ninth  street  and 
Fourth  avenue,  had  an  interview  with  the  president,  who  con 
sented  to  give  her  a  private  examination ;  but  the  curriculum 
was  a  little  different  from  that  of  Professer  Roberts'  seminary,  and 
she  was  not  quite  up  to  the  standard  in  some  of  its  branches, 
and  being  unwilling  to  go  back  into  another  grade,  she  was 
admitted  to  the  senior  class,  "  upon  conditions." 

She  was  not  long  in  showing  him,  however,  that  such  a  stipu 
lation  was  wholly  unnecessary. 

She  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  music  for  the  present,  and  bent 
all  her  energies  to  her  studies,  and  soon  not  one  of  the  forty 
who  were  to  graduate  gave  promise  of  a  more  brilliant  ending 
to  her  career  as  a  scholar  than  she  who  had  been  admitted 
"upon  conditions." 

Meantime  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  found  three  furnished  rooms  in 
a  cheap  but  respectable  locality,  where  they  took  up  their  abode, 
the  woman,  who  owned  and  lived  in  the  house,  agreeing  to 
furnish  their  meals  and  act  as  sort  of  housekeeper  <•;( -tieral  for  a 
reasonable  amount. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  would  not  hear  a  word  to  any  other  arrange 
ment,  although  Star  declared  she  could  do  a  portion  of  the 
work  herself. 

" No;  you  shall  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  You  will  have  all 
you  can  attend  to  to  keep  up  with  your  classes,"  he  said. 

"But  it  will  cost  so  much,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  answered, 
ruefully,  for  she  found  that  her  poor  hundred  pounds  was  melt 
ing  rapidly  away — at  least,  it  would  do  so  if  they  paid  for  having 
all  their  work  done.  Mr.  Rosevelt  smiled. 


228  'THE     GOAL    REACHED. 

' '  My  dear, "  he  said,  though  somewhat  sadly,  she  thought, 
"you  did  not  suppose  I  was  going  to  allow  you  to  assume  the 
burden  of  my  whole  support,  did  you  ?  I  never  should  have 
consented  to  come  away  with  you  in  that  case.  I  am  not  quite 
penniless,  and  what  I  can  afford  to  pay  toward  our  support  will 
at  least  relieve  you  of  all  necessity  of  laboring  as  a  household 
drudge. " 

They  were  as  cozy  as  they  could  well  be  with  their  simple 
yet  home-like  little  parlor,  and  two  bedrooms  leading  out  of 
it,  and  with  their  meals  served  to  them  there,  it  was  very  much 
like  a  home  of  their  own. 

''It  is  just  as  nice  as  can  be,  and  I  am  happy  as  a  queen," 
Star  declared,  over  and  over  again  ;  but  he  often  looked  troubled 
when  he  saw  how  thin  her  cheeks  were  growing,  noticed  her 
oft-repeated  but  quickly  suppressed  sighs,  and  that  "haunting 
sadness"  in  her  eyes. 

They  lived  in  a  very  quiet  way,  never  going  out  except  for  a 
quiet  walk  or  to  the  little  church  near  by  on  Sunday,  and  never 
met  or  heard  anything  of  Mr.  Richards  or  his  family. 

Star  had  read  that  advertisement  relating  to  herself,  and  it 
had  caused  her  bitter  pain,  for  it  brought  all  her  suffering  so 
freshly  to  her  mind ;  but  she  had  not  the  least  faith  that  Lord 
Carrol  could  say  anything  which  could  justify  himself  in  her 
mind.  She  felt  that  he  only  desired  to  cheat  her  still  further 
with  honeyed  words,  and  so  paid  no  heed  to  it. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  also  saw  it,  and  wondered  if  she  had  read  it  ; 
but  she  gave  no  sign,  and  he  never  mentioned  that  name  to  her; 
it  was  a  topic  which  they  avoided  by  tacit  consent. 

Once  during  the  year,  when  speaking  of  what  she  should  do 
as  soon  as  she  graduated,  she  said  that  she  had  decided  to  apply 
for  a  situation  as  teacher  in  the  city;  she  had  concluded  to 
remain  in  America  instead  of  returning  to  England,  as  she  had 
at  first  planned  to  do. 

He  did  not  ask  her  why ;  he  understood  what  she  meant— 


THE    GOAL    REACHED. 

she  wished  the  sea  to  roll  between  her  and  the  mu/i  who  had  so 
ruined  her  life ;  and  perhaps,  he  thought,  with  a  very  tender 
feeling  in  his  heart,  she  wanted  to  stay  with  him. 

Thus  the  year  sped  round,  and  brought  with  its  revolution 
another  commencement  day  for  Star. 

' '  Uncle  Jacob,  you  are  coming  to-day  to  see  me  graduate, 
are  you  not?"  she  asked  that  morning,  as  she  poured  his  coffee 
for  him,  and  looking  up  into  his  face  with  more  eagerness  than 
he  had  seen  her  manifest  since  her  trouble. 

"Of  course  I  shall ;  I  would  not  miss  it  for  anything.  Then 
you  have  really  passed  your  final  examination,  and  are  going 
tc  receive  your  diploma  ?"  he  said,  bending  a  look  of  pride 
on  her. 

' '  Indeed  I  have.  You  did  not  suppose  1  should  fail,  did 
you,  if  I  really  set  about  it?"  she  asked,  with  a  little  accent  of 
scorn  on  the  disagreeable  word. 

"I  did  not  know,  dear.  I  was  confident  that  you  would 
do  your  best;  but  you  told  me  you  were  only  received  upon 
conditions,  and  I  sometimes  feared  the  work  might  be  too  hard 
for  you." 

"I  should  not  have  begged  to  be  allowed  to  enter  the 
senior  class  if  I  had  not  felt  confident  that  I  could  do  justice  to 
myself,"  Star  answered,  quietly,  as  she  buttered  her  roll.  "I 
considered  the  matter  thoroughly  before  I  applied.  I  had 
already  read  almost  as  for  in  Latin  as  the  whole  course  de 
manded,  and  my  French,  thanks  to  papa's  care,  was  nearly 
equal  in  pronunciation  to  monsieur's  own.  The  review  of 
some  of  the  studies  of  the  junior  class,  with  which  I  was  not 
familiar,  and  the  training  for  teaching,  were  all  that  was  very 
hard  for  me. " 

She  spoke  lightly,  but  he  well  knew  that  she  had  labored  un 
remittingly  upon  those  reviews,  and  that  she  had  spent  many 
extra  hours  with  one  of  the  "critic"  teachers,  who  had  kindly 


23° 


THE    GOAL    REACHED. 


offered  to  assist  her,  in  order  that  she  might  be  up  to  the  mark 
in  the  practice  of  "  model  school-teaching." 

Thus  she  had  persevered  and  overcome  every  obstacle  until 
the  goal  was  reached,  and  to-day  she  would  receive  her  diploma. 

And  so  Uncle  Jacob  had  gone  to  the  great  chapel  with  other 
interested  friends,  and  watched  the  dear  girl  with  glistening 
eyes  while  she  so  creditably  performed  the  part  assigned  to  her, 
feeling  that  she  was  an  honor  to  her  class,  and  in  his  eyes,  at 
least,  the  gem  of  them  all. 

That  evening  there  was  to  be  a  grand  reunion  in  a  com 
modious  hall  near  by,  where  graduates  of  previous  years  were 
to  meet  the  senior  class  of  to-day,  to  offer  their  congratulations 
on  their  success  and  their  good  wishes  for  their  future  career. 

Star  had  no  fine  clothes  in  which  to  make  a  show  of  herself, 
and  was  obliged  to  go  clad  in  the  same  simple  lace  bunting 
that  she  had  worn  during  the  day ;  but  she  gave  herself  an  air 
of  elegance  by  substituting  some  bright  flowers  for  the  knots 
of  blue  ribbon,  and  excitement  lending  a  rich  color  to  her 
cheeks  and  light  to  her  eyes,  no  one  thought  of  criticising  her 
garments. 

Jacob  Rosevelt,  too,  dressed  in  a  full  new  suit  of  handsome 
broadcloth,  with  a  satin  neck-tie  and  light  kid  gloves,  did  not 
look  much  like  the  bent,  shabby  old  man  who  had  arrived, 
dusty  and  travel-stained,  at  Mr.  Richards'  mansion  a  little  less 
than  a  year  ago. 

"  Where  did  you  get  it,  Uncle  Jacob?"  Star  exclaimed,  as  he 
came  forth  from  his  chamber  and  asked  her  if  she  thought 
he'd  do. 

He  smiled  mysteriously,  then  said  : 

"I  told  you  that  I  was  not  quite  a  beggar,  dear,  when  I  left 
my  niece  Ellen's  inhospitable  roof,  and  so  I've  been  saving  up 
for  this  occasion,  in  order  that  I  might  do  honor  to  you. " 

"You  are  just  as  fine  as  you  can  be,"  Star  said,  delightedly, 
as  she  went  round  and  round  him  to  examine  the  material  and 


THE    GOAL    REACHED.  2$I 

/ashion  of  his  new  garments,  "and  I  do  not  believe  any  one 
will  be  more  proud  of  her  escort  to-night  than  I  shall  be ;  and 
yet, "she  thought,  "Uncle  Jacob  must  have  been  very  saving 
indeed  to  have  been  able  to  buy  such  an  expensive  suit." 

His  eyes  glowed  with  pleasure  at  her  words ;  but  when  they 
entered  the  brilliantly  lighted  hall,  and  he  saw  the  elegant 
toilets  of  some  of  the  young  ladies,  he  could  not  help  regarding 
her  with  something  of  regret,  although  very  many  admiring 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  arm  of  the  stately,  gray-haired  gentle 
man,  as  they  went  fonvar.l  to  pay  their  respects  to  President 
Hunter  and  his  corps  of  assistants. 

"  Miss  Gladstone,  I  have  a  friend  who  desires  to  be  presented 
to  you,"  said  one  of  Star's  teachers,  seeking  her  out  later  in  the 
evening. 

She  led  her  toward  a  lady  who  was  standing  a  little  apart 
from  them,  and  who  appeared  to  be  three  or  four  years  Star's 
senior,  and  introduced  her  as  Miss  Meredith. 

It  was  the  visitor  who  had  inquired  so  particularly  regarding 
our  heroine  during  the  graduating  exercises. 

She  was  drawn  toward  her  at  once,  and  they  were  soon 
chatting  as  sociably  as  if  they  had  been  acquaintances  of  long 
standing. 

While  thus  engaged,  a  gentleman  approached  them,  greeting 
both  young  ladies  in  the  most  cordial  manner. 

"I  was  hoping  that  you  two  would  meet  to-night,"  he  said, 
bestowing  a  smiling  face  upon  them  both.  "  Miss  Meredith  is 
a  graduate  of  two  years  ago,  Miss  Gladstone,  and  I  am  sure 
you  will  find  her  a  congenial  spirit." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Appleton,"  Miss  Meredith  responded, 
orightly;  "but  you  should  have  put  it  the  other  way,  for  I 
have  been  very  impatient  to  meet  Miss  Gladstone.  I  singled 
her  out  from  her  class  to-day,  and  felt  sure  that  we  should  be 
en  rapport,  as  the  spiritualists  say,  if  we  could  only  become 
acquainted. " 


»2*  THE    GOAL    REACHED. 

"Well,  I  think  it  does  not  matter  much  which  way  you  put 
it,  now  that  you  know  each  other, "the  gentleman  returned, 
smiling;  then  turning  to  Star,  he  added  : 

"So,  my  young  friend,  you  have  really  'run  the  race,  and 
finished  the  course;'  and  now  do  you  remember  the  promise 
which  you  made  me  several  months  ago?" 

Star  flushed  vividly  at  this  question. 

"Did  I  make  you  a  promise,  Mr.  Appleton?"  she  asked, 
evasively,  adding,  with  an  arch  glance :  "  I  thought  it  was  you 
who  made  me  a  promise. " 

He  laughed  and  shook  his  finger  at  her. 

"You  said  that  on  your  eighteenth  birthday  I  might  reveal  a 
secret " 

"And  you  promised  you  would  not  reveal  it  until  I  was 
eighteen,"  she  retorted,  brightly,  although  the  color  deepened 
in  her  cheeks  as  she  continued  :  "I  am  not  eighteen  yet,  Mr. 
Appleton. " 

"No,  but  you  will  be  to-morrow.  You  see  I  have  not  for- 
gotten  the  date.  Now,  let  me  take  time  by  the  forelock  a  little, 
and  whisper  to  Miss  Meredith  who  the  author  of  'Chatsworth's 
Pride'  is.  She  has  been  on  the  qui  vive  to  know  ever  since  the 
book  was  published,"  Mr.  Appleton  said,  bending  a  roguish 
look  upon  Star,  who  now  stood  with  drooping  eyes  and  appear 
ing  somewhat  confused. 

"Oh,  do  you  know?  Is  it  some  friend  of  yours,  Miss  Glad 
stone?"  Miss  Meredith  said,  eagerly,  to  her.  "  I  think  it  is  so 
tantalizing  not  to  know  the  name  of  the  author  of  a  book," 
she  went  on,  "particularly  if  it  is  one  you  happen  to  like  very 
much ;  and  here  this  provoking  man  who  published  this  one 
only  put  a  great  star  where  he  should  have  printed  the  author's 
name.  Do  tell  me,  please,  Miss  Gladstone ;  I  am,  indeed,  all 
curiosity. " 

Then  remarking  Star's  embarrassment,  she  looked  from  her 
to  Mr.  Appleton,  questioningly. 


THE    GOAL    REACHED. 


233 


"Is  it?"  she  went  on,  excitedly,  as  he  smiled  and  glanced  at 
the  fair  girl.  "Can  it  be  possible  that  it  is  Miss  Gladstone 
herself?  I  believe  it  is,"  she  said,  with  sparkling  eyes,  as  she 
seized  Star's  hands;  "and  oh  !  what  can  I  say  to  you?  It  is  a 
charming  little  book,  and  I  have  enjoyed  it  more  than  I  can 
tell  you.  There !  let  me  shake  the  hand  that  wrote  it,  and  if  I 
had  a  laurel  wreath  here  I  would  put  it  on  this  golden  head  and 
make  you  wear  it  the  remainder  of  the  evening. " 

And  she  squeezed  and  shook  that  small,  white,  gloved  hand 
until  Star  laughingly  begged  for  mercy. 

"See  what  you  have  subjected  me  to,"  she  said,  with  a  half- 
reproachful  look  at  Mr.  Appleton. 

"You  might  just  as  well  make  the  best  of  it,  my  modest 
little  friend,"  that  gentleman  replied,  laughing.  "I  have  kept 
silence  for  a  year  under  the  most  trying  circumstances,  for  I 
have  been  unmercifully  besieged  to  tell  who  the  author  of 
' Chatsworth's  Pride'  is,  and  I  could  not  stand  the  fire  any 
longer.  My  time  is  too  valuable  to  be  spent  in  any  such  way ; 
and  I  came  here  to-night  not  only  to  congratulate  you  upon 
your  graduation,  but  also  to  introduce  my  fair  young  author  to 
my  friends.  Yes,  Miss  Meredith,  Miss  Stella  Gladstone  is  the 
author  of  'Chatsworth's  Pride." 

:'Miss  Stella  Gladstone?"  Miss  Meredith  repeated. 

"Yes;  and,  you  perceive,  I  was  not  far  from  giving  the  name 
after  all.  I  was  obliged  to  '  make  her  mark,'  since  I  could  not 
write  her  name,"  returned  Mr.  Appleton,  jocosely. 

"Ah,  yes,  I  see.  Stella  means  a  star;  and  certainly,"  Miss 
Meredith  said,  turning  to  her  new  acquaintance  again,  "you 
bid  fair  to  shine  like  one." 


AN   INTERESTING    STOAY. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AN     INTERESTING     STORY 

Jacob  Rosevelt  stood  not  far  away  during  the  conversation 
between  Mr.  Appleton,  Miss  Meredith,  and  Star,  and  a  proud 
light  beamed  in  his  eyes  as  he  listened  to  their  praises  of  the 
girl  whom  he  had  learned  to  love  so  well. 

But  it  was  nothing  new  to  him  that  Star  was  an  authoress ; 
he  had  known  it  for  nearly  a  year. 

That  was  the  secret  that  she  had  whispered  in  his  ear  when, 
after  Mrs.  Richards'  terrible  accusations,  they  had  been  left 
alone  and  she  had  begged  him  to  go  away  with  her  to  make  a 
little  home  of  their  own,  telling  him  that  what  she  should 
receive  for  her  book,  together  with  her  hundred  pounds,  would 
be  ample  for  their  support  until  she  could  graduate  and  obtain 
a  position  as  a  teacher. 

She  had  written  it  that  first  winter;  for  after  Mr.  Richards 
had  vetoed  his  wife's  plan  of  making  her  a  servant,  and  insisted 
that  she  should  be  sent  to  school,  there  had  been  many  lonely 
hours  which  would  have  been  very  irksome  to  her  if  she  had 
not  spent  them  in  this  way. 

Her  studies  that  winter  were  not  hard  ;  she  had  no  associates 
to  help  her  pass  the  time  pleasantly,  and  so  her  heart  had  over 
flowed  in  this  way,  and  she  had  penned  the  charming  little 
romance  which  had  at  once  set  everybody  to  wondering  who 
the  author  might  be. 

This  was  the  package  with  which  she  had  stolen  forth  so  early 
one  morning,  taking  it  with  fear  and  trembling,  yet  with  some 
thing  of  hope,  to  the  great  publisher. 


AN   INTERESTING    STORY.  235 

When  she  was  shown  into  his  office  and  made  known  her 
errand  there,  he  looked  at  her  in  wonder,  astonished  at  the 
temerity  of  one  so  young  and  simple  as  she  appeared  to  be  in 
bringing  her  manuscript  to  him  and  asking  him  to  publish  it. 

But  the  deferential  yet  winning  way  in  which  she  made  her 
appeal,  and  the  influence  of  her  loveliness,  won  a  reluctant 
promise  on  his  part  ' '  to  look  it  over. " 

He  did  so,  opening  the  neatly  folded  package  with  an  amused 
smile,  and  expecting  after  a  casual  glance  at  its  contents  to  be 
nauseated  with  some  sickly  sentimental  love-story. 

But  he  became  strangely  interested  in  it  at  once,  and  read 
on  and  on,  now  with  smiles,  then  melting  into  teats,  until  it 
was  finished,  and  pronounced  a  "little  gem;"  while  he  was 
convinced  that  a  sensitive,  refined,  and  talented  girl  had  thrown 
her  heart,  and  perhaps  something  of  her  own  life,  into  those 
touching  pages. 

He  sent  a  note  to  her  at  once,  asking  her  to  come  and  see 
him  again,  and  when  she  obeyed  the  summons,  he  questioned 
her  about  herself,  how  she  had  come  to  write  her  book,  and 
what  incidents  had  suggested  it 

She  told  him  that  the  scene  of  her  little  romance  was  laid  in 
Derbyshire,  England,  and  that  many  of  the  incidents  were  con 
nected  with  her  childhood  ;  and  the  tears  sprang  to  his  eyes  as 
she  related  to  him  something  of  the  misfortune  which  overtook 
her  in  the  death  of  her  mother,  the  subsequent  loss  of  her 
father,  and  how  she  was  obliged  to  come,  a  stranger,  to  this 
country ;  of  the  tempestuous  voyage  across  the  ocean,  with  its 
thrilling  events,  and  that  as  soon  as  she  could  complete  hei 
education  she  intended  to  become  a  teacher. 

He  was  greatly  interested  in  her,  and  told  her  that  he  should 
publish  her  book,  and  if  the  first  edition  sold  well,  she  should 
have  a  thousand  dollars,  and  a  certain  per  cent  on  all  other 
editions. 

It  seemed  like  a  fortune  to  Star,  who  had  not  thought  of 


AN  INTERESTING    STORY. 

receiving  anything  like  such  a  sum,  and  she  went  back  to  hei 
duties  with  a  joyful  heart  to  await  the  issue  of  her  book. 

Mr.  Appleton  was  so  pleased  with  her  that  he  saw  her  often 
after  that,  and  having  received  a  card  from  her  for  the  com 
mencement  exercises  of  Professor  Roberts'  seminary,  he  decided 
he  would  go ;  and  the  little  package  which  he  had  given  her 
in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Richards  was  a  copy  of  her  book,  which 
had  just  come  to  him  from  the  hands  of  the  binders ;  and  it 
was  he,  too,  who,  admiring  her  fine  essay,  begged  it  of  her  and 
sent  it,  with  those  few  flattering  remarks  which  had  so  annoyed 
Josephine,  to  the  next  morning's  papers. 

Star  had  put  no  name  to  her  work,  telling  Mr.  Appleton  that 
she  did  not  care  to  be  known  as  its  author;  and  he,  too, 
thought  it  best,  since  it  was  her  first  experience  in  literary  mat 
ters;  so,  when  she  had  told  him  that  her  name  was  Stella,  he 
had  put  a  simple  Star  in  place  of  it 

But  the  book  had  sold  beyond  even  the  publisher's  most 
sanguine  expectations,  and  when  it  became  evident  very  soon 
that  a  second  edition  must  be  published,  he  asked  her  to  allow 
him  to  put  her  name  to  it,  as  everybody  was  besieging  him  to 
know  who  wrote  it 

But  she  was  firm,  and  insisted  upon  having  his  promise  that 
he  would  not  betray  her  until  after  her  graduation  and  her 
eighteenth  birthday. 

When  he  wrote  her  a  check  for  the  promised  thousand  dol 
lars,  she  had  taken  it  directly  to  Mr.  Rosevelt. 

"Now  we  need  have  no  fears  for  the  future."  she  said,  with  a 
proud  smile,  as  she  put  it  into  his  hand.  "You  must  have 
svery  comfort,  Uncle  Jacob — fruits,  and  wines,  and  everything 
nice,  to  make  you  strong  and  well.  There  will  be  more  coming, 
vou  know,  as  the  other  editions  are  sold,  and  when  I  begin  to 
teach  I  shall  have  my  salary  besides." 

The  old  gentleman  was  deeply  touched  by  her  thoughtful- 
ness  for  him ;  he  could  not  speak  for  the  choking  sensation  in 


AN   INTERESTING    STOKF.  237 

his  throat,  but  drew  her  gently  to  him  and  kissed  her  fait  fore- 
head,  feeling  that  she  was  the  only  gleam  of  sunshine  which  his 
life  contained. 

Now,  as  he  stood  by  and  heard  her  praises  sung,  and  knew 
that  she  would  have  the  fame  that  belonged  to  her,  he  exulted 
over  it ;  and  when,  a  little  later,  she  came  to  him  and  slipped 
an  envelope  into  his  hand,  saying :  "It  is  another  check,  Uncle 
Jacob,  which  Mr.  Appleton  has  just  given  to  me.  Please  take 
care  of  it,  for  you  are  my  banker,  you  know ;  and, "  a  tear  start 
ing  to  her  glorious  eyes,  ' '  I  believe  I  never  expected  to  be  so 
happy  again  as  I  am  to-night,"  he  thought  his  own  cup  of  joy 
was  nearly  as  full  as  hers. 

She  was,  indeed,  a  star  after  that  all  through  the  evening, 
and  held  a  right  royal  little  court,  receiving  and  making  the 
acquaintance  of  the  admirers  of  " Chatsworth's  Pride,"  until 
she  became  so  weary  that  she  longed  to  get  home  to  quiet 
and  rest 

As  soon  as  she  could  find  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  she  drew 
Mr.  Rosevelt  to  President  Hunter  and  made  her  adieu. 

Just  as  she  was  turning  away,  some  one  touched  her  on 
the  arm. 

"  Miss  Gladstone,  allow  me  to  present  my  brother,  Mr.  Ralph 
Meredith." 

It  was  Miss  Meredith — Grace  Meredith  she  had  told  Star  she 
was  called — who  spoke,  and  looking  up,  she  found  a  pair  of 
brilliant  dark  eyes  looking  into  hers,  a  handsome  face  smiling 
down  upon  her,  while  a  musical  voice  acknowledged  the  intro 
duction  with  evident  pleasure. 

"I  expect  you  are  the  'star'  whom  I  have  been  wishing  to 
know  for  a  long  time,"  he  said,  significantly,  as  he  took  the 
hand  she  held  out  to  him,  and  thought  he  had  never  seen  a 
lovelier  face  in  his  life. 

Star  thanked  him  with  a  charming  smile  for  his  interest  in 
her,  and  introduced  him  to  Mr.  Rosevelt ;  then  turned  to  Miss 


?38  AN   INTERESTING    STORY. 

Meredith  to  escape  from  the  praises  which  she  saw  he  was 
longing  to  pour  into  her  ears. 

The  young  man  was  somewhat  chagrined  at  being  thus  sum 
marily  disposed  of,  but  he  was  too  polite  and  good-natured  to 
betray  it,  and  did  his  best  to  make  himself  agreeable  to  the  old 
gentleman  and  win  his  good-will. 

Gradually,  however,  he  managed  to  attract  the  attention  ot 
the  young  ladies,  and  then  the  conversation  became  general, 
and  they  chatted  pleasantly  for  several  minutes,  until,  at  a  look 
from  Star,  Mr.  Rosevelt  declared  they  must  go,  "for  he  was  not 
used  to  late  hours,  and  Star,  he  knew,  was  nearly  worn  out  with 
the  excitement  of  the  day. " 

Mr.  Meredith  regretted  that  they  must  leave,  but  begged, 
with  his  most  captivating  smile  : 

"May  I  have  the  pleasure,  P.iiss  Gladstone,  of  coming  with 
my  sister  to  call  upon  you  ?" 

"Certainly,"  Star  answered,  graciously,  for  she  was  pleased 
with  both  brother  and  sister.  "I  shall  be  very  happy  to  have 
you  do  so.  We  live " 

"  Wait  a  minute,  Star,  and  I  will  write  our  address  down  for 
them.  It  is  so  difficult  to  remember  numbers,  I  am  afraid  they 
will  forget ;"  and  taking  a  leaf  from  a  small  note-book  that  was 
in  his  pocket,  Mr.  Rosevelt  wrote  both  street  and  number  and 
passed  it  to  young  Meredith. 

Star  thought  he  looked  surprised  as  he  read  it.  Was  it  be 
cause  of  the  humble  locality  ?  she  wondered. 

They  then  exchanged  good-nights  and  parted.  When  they 
reached  the  street,  Mr.  Rosevelt  said  : 

"  I  am  going  to  call  a  carriage,  dear,  for  I  know  you  are  just 
ready  to  drop  from  weariness ;"  and  Star  did  not  object,  for  she 
was  indeed  exceedingly  tired. 

When  they  reached  home  she  insisted  upon  making  a  cup  of 
tea  for  Uncle  Jacob,  saying  that  he  was  not  accustomed  to  such 


AN  INTERESTING  STORY.  239 

late  hours  and  dissipation ;  "and  besides,"  she  added,  with 
a  smile,  "she  felt  like  having  a  drop  herself." 

But  the  old  gentleman  was  so  absent-minded  over  his 
tea,  that  she  felt  almost  guilty  for  having  kept  him  up  so 
late,  and  feared  he  would  be  ill  to-morrow. 

She  put  away  the  tea  things  when  they  were  through, 
and  was  about  to  light  her  lamp  to  retire,  when  he  stopped 
her,  saying: 

"Star,  my  dear,  come  and  sit  down  upon  this  ottoman 
by  me;  I  have  something  I  wish  to  say  to  you." 

She  obeyed,  wondering  what  had  happened  to  make  him 
look  and  speak  so  gravely. 

"Are  you  really  happy  to-night,  my  child?"  he  asked, 
tenderly. 

A  startled  look  came  into  the  girl's  eyes  at  this  question, 
and  her  heart  leaped  with  sudden  pain  as  her  thoughts 
went  bounding  over  the  sea  to  one  to  whom  she  had  given 
the  first  grand  passion  of  her  soul. 

"Uncle  Jacob,"  she  answered,  gravely,  though  he  could 
see  the  quiver  about  her  lips,  which  she  tried  in  vain  to 
repress,  "I  am  happier  than  I  ever  expected  to  be  again. 
It  is  useless  to  regret  or  mourn  over  the  past.  I  have 
tried  to  be  sensible  over  it,  but  sometimes,  I  am  afraid,  I 
have  not  succeeded  very  well,"  she  said,  with  a  smile  that 
was  a  trifle  bitter.  "If,"  she  added,  more  brightly,  a 
moment  after,  "that  one  episode  could  have  been  left  out 
of  my  life,  I  believe  there  would  be  nothing  to  mar  it 
now." 

"I  would  that  it  could  have  been  so,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
sighed.  "But  I  want  you  to  listen  to  me  for  a  little  while. 
I  know  it  is  late,  and  you  ought  to  go  to  rest,  but  I  par 
ticularly  wish  to  tell  you  a  short  story  of  my  life  to-night. 
It  is  a  page  which  has  been  turned  from  sight  for  many 
years,  and  no  one  has  ever  read  it  save  myself.  You  are 
about  entering  upon  a  new  era  in  your  life.  I  have  learned 
to  love  you  very  tenderly,  my  child,  and  I  want  to  bind 
you  yet  closer  to  me." 


AN   INTERESTING    STORY. 

"Why,  Uncle  Jacob,  you  do  not  think  I  have  any  idea  of 
going  away  from  you,  I  hope,"  Star  said,  in  surprise. 

"No,  for  I  have  grown  to  feel  that  you  belong  to  me.  I 
want  you  to  think  so,  too,  and  I  am  going  to  tell  you  why. 
Fate — or  Providence,  I  suppose,  you  would  say — has  thrown  us 
together  in  a  strange  way,  considering  all  things.  Do  you  re 
member  telling  me,  on  board  that  ill-fated  steamer,  that  your 
name  was  Star  Rosevelt  Gladstone,  and  how  surprised  you  were 
when  you  learned  that  my  last  name  was  the  same  as  your 
middle  one?" 

' '  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  still  think  it  a  strange  coincidence, "  Star 
answered. 

' '  Perhaps  you  will  be  more  surprised  when  I  tell  you  that 
you  were  named  for  me. " 

Star  looked  up  astonished  at  him. 

"  How  can  that  be  possible?"  she  asked. 

"In  this  way,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  returned,  a  shade  of  pain  cross 
ing  his  face.  "  When  your  grandmother,  Stella  Winthrop — that 
was  her  name  before  her  marriage,  was  it  not?" 

"Yes;  and  that  is  all  I  know  about  her,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star 
answered,  with  a  troubled  look.  "Papa  never  said  much  about 
his  friends.  Indeed,  he  did  not  appear  to  have  any  relatives, 
and  never  would  allow  me  to  question  him  about  them.  Once 
I  said  something  to  him  about  my  name,  and  he  remarked  : 
'  Your  grandmother  once  told  me  that  if  ever  I  had  a  little  girl 
of  my  own,  she  would  like  me  to  call  her  Stella  Rosevelt,  and 
that  is  how  you  came  by  it.' 

"  'Where  is  my  grandmother,  papa?'  I  asked. 

"  'She  is  dead,'  he  said,  and  immediately  left  the  room, 
looking  so  pale  and  miserable  that  I  never  dared  ask  him  any 
thing  more  about  her." 

"  It  seems  strange  that  /should  be  the  one  to  tell  you  about 
her,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  thoughtfully,  "and  I  am  puzzled  to 


AN   INTERESTING    STOKY.  241 

know  why  he  should  have  been  so  reticent.     Did  your  fathei 
ever  have  any  trouble  with  his  family?" 

"Not  that  I  know  of;  and  yet,"  Star  said,  flushing,  "there 
was  some  trouble  about  his  marriage  with  mamma,  though  that 
seems  to  have  been  on  the  part  of  her  family  rather  than  his. 
Mrs.  Richards  once  twitted  me  about  mamma — who  was  a  sort 
of  cousin  to  her — having  married  beneath  her." 

"I  do  not  see  how  that  could  have  been,  for  the  Mr.  Glad 
stone  who  married  Stella  Winthrop  was  a  very  wealthy  and  im 
portant  man  in  the  county  of  Devonshire — at  least,  I  was  told 
so — and  if  your  father  was  his  son,  he  might  have  married 
almost  any  one  he  chose,  and  have  conferred  an  honor  in  so 
doing.  But  this  is  not  telling  you  my  story. 

"When  Stella  Winthrop  was  of  your  age,  and  I  three  or  four 
years  older,  we  met  at  a  large  reception  in  London.  That 
meeting  was  fatal  to  us  both,  for  we  loved  from  that  hour  as 
true  lovers  ever  love.  For  six  months  the  world  was  like 
Paradise  to  us,  and  then  I  was  called  away  to  the  far  East  on 
business  for  the  firm  with  which  I  was  connected.  I  am  an 
American,  but  most  of  my  life  has  been  spent  abroad. 

"If  I  was  successful  in  my  business  undertaking,  it  wa* 
agreed  that  I  might  claim  my  bride  when  I  returned  at  the  end 
of  two  years.  The  vessel  on  which  I  sailed  was  wrecked — I 
have  had  more  than  one  such  experience  you  see,  my  dear — 
and  it  was  reported  that  every  passenger  on  board  was  lost, 
while  only  a  very  few  of  the  crew  lived  to  tell  the  story  of  the 
disaster.  But  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  a  large  cask, 
and  with  this  I  managed  to  keep  afloat  for  two  days,  when  I 
was  picked  up  by  a  sailing-vessel  bound  for  the  Philippine 
Islands. 

"My  first  work  upon  reaching  land  was  to  write  to  Stella 
and  tell  her  of  my  safety ;  but  my  letter  never  reached  her.  I 
also  notified  the  firm  that  I  was  all  right,  and  should  proceed 
directly  about  the  business  upon  which  I  had  been  sent,  but 


242  AN    INTERESTING    STORY. 

they  knew  nothing  of  my  connection  with  Miss  Winthrop,  and 
accordingly  did  not  communicate  with  her.  I  kept  writing  at 
intervals  to  my  beloved,  but  never  heard  anything  in  return. 
At  last,  in  despair,  I  wrote  to  the  firm,  telling  them  of  my  en 
gagement,  and  asking  them  to  notify  her  of  my  safety  and  give 
her  my  address  in  case  she  should  have  happened  to  lose  the 
one  I  had  given  her.  In  icply,  they  said  that  the  Winthrop 
family  had  gone  abroad  for  an  indefinite  stay.  Of  course  this 
was  a  great  trial  to  me,  and  I  was  exceedingly  impatient ;  but 
my  two  years  were  over  at  last,  and  I  turned  my  face  toward 
England  once  more.  I  had  succeeded  in  my  business  beyond 
my  most  sanguine  expectations,  and  I  looked  forward  to  the 
immediate  fulfillment  of  my  hopes  when  I  should  return. 

"  My  first  duty  on  reaching  London  was  to  acquaint  my  em 
ployers  with  the  result  of  my  transactions,  and  my  next  thought 
was  for  Stella — my  bright  Star.  Never  for  an  instant  had  I 
doubted  her  fidelity ;  I  believed  she  would  be  as  true  to  me  as 
I  was  to  her,  and  my  heart  beat  high  with  hope  as  I  bounded 
up  the  familiar  steps  leading  to  her  home  and  rang  the  bell.  I 
asked  for  Miss  Winthrop  of  the  maid  who  answered  my  sum 
mons,  and  she  stared  at  me  as  if  she  thought  me  demented. 

"  'Miss  Winthrop?'  she  repeated.  'There  is  no  Miss  Win 
throp,  sir ;  she  was  married  and  went  away  nearly  a  year  ago. ' 

'  "Married!'  The  word  was  like  a  thunderbolt  to  me,  and 
in  an  instant  all  the  light  went  out  of  my  life — my  heart  was 
paralyzed.  I  staggered  from  the  place,  and  hid  myself  from 
every  one  for  a  week.  Then  I  gained  something  of  calmness 
and  courage  to  go  out  among  my  friends  and  try  to  learn  how 
it  happened  that  Stella  Winthrop  had  married.  As  I  told  you 
before,  it  was  reported  that  every  passenger  on  the  vessel  in 
which  I  sailed  was  lost.  Those  of  the  crew  who  were  saved 
affirmed  that  such  was  the  case,  and  my  betrothed  had  believed 
that  I  was  dead. 

"She  grieved  herself  almost  to  death  over  my  loss,  and  her 


AN   INTERESTING    STORY.  243 

parents,  fearing  they  would  lose  her  also,  took  her  abroad  and 
traveled  for  many  months.  It  was  during  this  absence  that  the 
firm  received  my  letter  relating  to  her,  but  were  unable  to  learn 
her  address,  as  she  was  moving  from  point  to  point,  and  so 
could  not  communicate  with  her. 

"Six  months  after  learning  my  fate,  she  met  Mr.  Gladstone 
in  Paris.  He  fell  in  love  with  her,  and  offered  himself  to  her. 
He  was  a  gentleman  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  was  kind  and 
sympathetic,  and  she  liked  him  as  a  friend.  She  told  him  the 
story  of  her  grief,  and  that  she  could  never  marry.  He  did 
not  sneer  at  her  'girlish  folly,'  as  many  would  have  done,  but 
comforted  her,  speaking  so  kindly  and  regretfully  of  me  that 
he  won  even  a  warmer  place  in  her  heart.  He  was  patient  with 
her,  and  when  at  length  a  second  time  he  asked  her  to  marry 
him,  she  told  him  that  she  could  never  love  him  as  she  had 
loved  me,  but  if  he  could  be  content  to  take  her  with  what 
respect  she  could  give  him,  and  the  duty  she  would  strive  to 
yield  him,  she  would  become  his  wife.  He  told  her  he  would 
be  content,  and  they  were  married — a  year  and  three  months 
after  I  sailed  on  the  fatal  voyage. 

"They  traveled  several  months  longer,  and  when  at  length 
on  their  return  to  London,  only  three  or  four  months  before  I 
arrived  there,  she  learned  that  I  had  not  perished,  but  was  soon 
expected  back,  the  shock  nearly  killed  her  a  second  time.  Her 
husband  was  all  kindness  and  attention,  took  her  immediately 
away  again,  and  showered  everything  that  wealth  could  buy 
upon  her;  and  after  a  time  children  were  born  to  her,  and 
those  new  ties  aroused  her  to  her  sense  of  duty  as  a  mother.  J 
never  saw  her,  for  I  had  not  courage  to  look  upon  her  deai 
face,  knowing  that  she  was  the  wife  of  another;  for  I  nevei 
leased  to  love  her,  with  an  affection  that  amounted  to  idolatry. 
They  told  me  that  she  had  two  children — two  noble  boys,  one 
of  them  resembling  her,  the  other  his  father — that  she  was  a 


244  AN   INTERESTING    STORY. 

tender,  faithful  mother,  and  veiy  much  beloved  by  every  one 
who  knew  her. 

"That  was  forty  years  ago,  Star,  and  for  thirty  I  have  not 
heard  one  word  concerning  either  her  or  her  family;  but  I 
have  lived  my  life  out  alone;  I  could  never  take  any  one  to 
my  broken  heart ;  and  perhaps,  if  your  belief  is  true,  my  child, 
and  I  can  ever  be  made  clearly  to  see  it,  I  may  find  my  lost 
love  somewhere  in  the  great  future;  but  I  do  not  need  to  telj 
you  that  my  past  has  been  one  long  season  of  longing  and 
regret,  of  sadness  and  loneliness." 

His  voice  broke,  his  lips  quivered  painfully,  and  it  seemed 
for  a  moment  as  if  he  must  break  down  utterly. 

Star  softly  slipped  one  of  her  small  hands  into  his,  and  the 
sympathetic  little  act  comforted  him  greatly.  His  closed  ovel 
it  in  a  strong,  yet  tender  clasp. 

"You  pity  the  old  man's  weakness,  don't  you,  dear?"  he 
said,  with  a  sad  smile;  "but  it  is  not  easy  to  open  the  secret 
chambers  of  one's  heart  when  they  have  been  closed  for  forty 
years. 

"When  I  first  saw  you,"  he  continued,  after  a  moment, 
"there  was  something  in  your  face  that  touched  me — a  light 
in  your  eye,  a  sheen  on  your  hair,  that  somehow  smote  a 
familiar  chord  in  my  heart.  I  watched  you,  although  you  were 
not  a'vare  of  it,  and  felt  sorry  for  you  during  that  dreadful 
storm  at  sea ;  for  your  white  face  and  great,  startled  eyes  ap 
pealed  to  me  as  nothing  had  done  for  many  a  year.  But  I 
would  not  yield  to  it.  I  had  shut  my  heart  to  every  one ;  I  had 
vowed  that  I  would  never  love  any  one  again,  and  I  mistrusted 
every  one  who  sought  to  win  me  to  a  better  mood.  But  when 
that  lurch  of  the  boat  threw  you  directly  into  my  arms,  and 
you  clung  to  me  in  such  a  helpless  way,  I  could  not  resist  you, 
and  some  good  angel  prompted  me  to  gather  you  close  to  me 
and  make  you  rest  upon  me.  When  you  told  me  your  name, 
the  shock  nearly  unmanned  me — 'Star  Rosevelt  Gladstone, '  you 


Aft  INTERESTING   STORY.  245 

id — and  I  knew  as  well  as  if  I  had  been  told,  that  you  were 
in  some  way  connected  with  my  lost  Star,  and  I  watched  over 
you  all  the  night  through,  feeling  almost  as  if  some  sweet  spirit 
had  been  sent  from  her  to  me,  to  give  me  a  little  ray  of  comfort 
at  the  end  of  my  long,  loveless  life. 

"When,  the  next  morning,  you  told  me  that  your  grand 
mother  had  named  you,  and  that  her  name  was  Stella  Win- 
throp,  1  had  not  a  doubt ;  I  felt  convinced  that  you  must  be 
the  child  of  one  of  her  sons.  You  thought  it  merely  a  strange 
coincidence,  but  I  knew  better,  and  all  my  boasted  coldness 
and  hardness  melted  away,  and  I  began  to  love  ,you  then  and 
there.  When  that  dreadful  explosion  occurred,  and  you  urged 
me  to  save  myself,  as  'doubtless  I  had  dear  friends'  and  'you 
had  no  one  to  love  you ' — when  you  refused  to  leave  me,  and 
took  up  your  station  by  my  side  to  die  with  me,  as  we  both 
believed,  I  felt  as  if  something  of  the  spirit  of  my  lost  love  was 
shining  through  you.  Then  your  tenderness  toward,  and  your 
care  of  me — your  heroic  self-denial  and  efforts  to  save  my  life 
while  we  were  helplessly  afloat  on  the  mighty  ocean — your 
sweet  voice  singing  those  hymns  of  faith  and  cheer,  completed 
the  conquest  of  my  hardened  nature.  I  can  never  make  you 
understand  how  disappointed  I  was,  on  arriving  in  New  York, 
to  find  you  gone.  I  meant  to  tell  you  something  of  myself, 
and  learn  your  own  destination,  so  that  I  might  see  you  once 
in  awhile. 

"  But  I  never  forgot  you ;  and  when  I  visited  my  nephew  in 
the  West,  and  met  only  coldness  and  neglect,  simply  because 
of  my  misfortunes,  I  could  not  help  contrasting  it  with  your 
kind  attention  to  an  entire  stranger. 

"I  left  those  heartless  people  and  came  to  my  niece,  and 
met  with  the  same  reception,  when  before  they  had  always 
fawned  at  my  feet,  flattered  and  humored  me  as  if  I  had  been 
something  more  than  common  clay. 

"I  felt  forsaken;  no  one  loved  me,  no  one  wanted  me;  I 


246  AH    INTERESTING    STORY. 

was  a  burden  and  incumbrance.  But  just  then  you  appeared 
to  me,  and  your  heavenly  kindness  made  my  poor  old  heart 
glow  again.  Still,  I  was  so  embittered  by  finding  my  only 
brother's  children  so  heartless  and  selfish,  that  I  was  not  quite 
sure  of  you.  It  made  me  mistrust  everybody,  and  I  feared  you 
might  grow  to  be  like  them.  But  for  that  I  should  not  have 
remained  a  day  beneath  Ellen  Richards'  roof;  I  should  have 
gone  my  own  way  again  as  soon  as  I  became  rested  and  re 
cruited.  Do  you  remember  how  you  came  to  me  the  next 
morning  after  my  arrival,  and  cheered  me  with  your  merry  chat 
and  your  thoughtful  little  gift?  I  said,  'Surely  this  child  must 
be  artless — she  must  be  true ;'  but  I  resolved  to  stay  awhile  and 
test  and  study  you,  and  you  have  been  a  blessing  to  me  from 
the  first.  My  dear,  I  began  to  love  you  for  my  lost  Star's  sake  ; 
now  I  love  you  for  your  own  There,  you  have  all  my  story 
now,  and  you  must  go  to  rest,  for  to-morrow  will  be  your  birth 
day,  and  we  must  celebrate  a  little  in  honor  of  it,"  Mr.  Rosevelf 
concluded,  patting  her  softly  on  the  shoulder. 

Star  lifted  a  flushed  and  tearful  face  to  his. 

"Uncle  Jacob  !"  she  cried,  tenderly;  "  it  seems  as  if  you  are 
really  that  to  me  now ;  and  I  am  so  glad  that  you  have  told  me 
how  you  have  loved  my  grandmother,  and  I  shall  try  more 
than  ever  after  this  to  make  your  life  as  bright  as  possible.  I 
do  not  see  how  any  one  could  ever  have  treated  you  unkindly 
or  disrespectfully." 

Uncle  Jacob  smiled  fondly  at  her. 

"I  know  there  is  one  at  least  who  treats  me  kindly  for  my 
own  sake,  and  who  would  share  all  her  laurels  with  me.  My 
child,  I  was  very  proud  of  you  to-night." 

"And  I  of  you,"  Star  added,  quickly.  "I  never  saw  you 
look  so  nice — so  like  an  aristocratic  old  gentleman." 

He  laughed,  such  a  bright,  hearty  laugh  that  she  wondered 
to  see  him  so  pleased  over  her  little  compliment. 


AN    INTERESTING    STORY. 


247 


"Now,  good-night,"  he  said,  rising;  "I  want  you  to  be  as 
fresh  as  possible  to-morrow." 

He  led  her  to  the  door  of  her  room,  and  then,  with  a  softly 
breathed  "God  bless  you  !"  sought  his  own. 

God  bless  you  !     Those  words  rang  in  Star's  ears.     Was  he 
beginning  to  believe  in  her  God,  after  all?    She  hoped  so- 
she  prayed  so. 

But  she  did  not  go  directly  to  bed,  as  he  bade  her ;  his  story 
had  strangely  stirred  her  heart,  and  she  could  not  rest  until  she 
had  decided  some  questions  that  were  troubling  her. 

She  opened  a  drawer  of  her  dressing-case,  and  taking  that 
worn  portfolio  to  which  we  have  before  referred  from  it,  un 
locked  it,  and  drew  forth  a  sealed  package. 

"Papa  told  me  to  wait  until  I  was  eighteen  before  I  opened 
and  read  it,"  she  said,  musingly;  "but  a  few  hours  can  make 
no  difference,  and  I  feel  now  as  if  I  must  know  if  he  was 
her  son,  and  why  he  never  would  tell  me  anything  about  his 
family." 

With  reverent  fingers  she  broke  the  seals,  a  sob  rising  to  hei 
lips  as  she  thought  whose  hand  had  fastened  them  there,  and 
how  tenderly  it  used  to  stroke  her  hair  and  call  her  ' '  My  bright 
little  Star." 

The  package  contained  several  papers,  and  it  took  her  more 
than  an  hour  to  examine  them ;  but  when  she  had  read  them 
through,  there  was  a  look  of  wonder  in  her  large  blue  eyes  and 
an  almost  blank  expression  on  her  white  face. 


14$  MAT  tfEXT* 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

WHAT    NEXT? 

Star  Gladstone's  eighteenth  birthday  dawned  as  bright  and 
charming  as  it  was  possible  for  a  morning  to  be.  At  eight 
o'clock  she  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  sat  down  to  their  breakfast,  and  a 
merry  meal  they  made  of  it,  for  both  appeared  in  the  best  of 
spirits,  in  spite  of  the  sad  and  exciting  events  of  the  previous 
evening  upon  which  they  had  conversed. 

About  nine  a  handsome  carriage  drove  to  their  humble  abode, 
and  the  driver  rang  and  asked  for  the  ''gentleman  and  lady  who 
were  going  for  a  drive  in  the  park. " 

Star  looked  surprised  as  she  peered  from  the  window  and  saw 
a  pair  of  sleek,  coal-black  horses,  with  their  silver-mounted 
harnesses,  and  the  shining,  velvet-lined  coach. 

"Uncle  Jacob,  did  you  order  that  carriage  to  come  for  us?" 
she  asked. 

"Yes,  my  dear,"  he  said,  with  an  expression  of  satisfaction, 
as  he,  too,  looked, out  and  saw  the  team.  "It  is  not  often  that 
I  ride,  as  you  well  know,  but  when  I  do,  I  like  to  go  in  style. 
One  ride  a  year  in  'ship-shape'  would  satisfy  me,  where  a  half- 
dozen  in  some  broken-down  hack  wouldn't  give  me  a  bit  of 
pleasure.  Now,  put  on  your  hat,  and  tuck  some  roses  in  your 
belt,  as  you  did  yesterday,  for  this  is  to  be  a  gala  day,  and  I 
want  you  as  fine  as  possible. " 

Star  laughed  and  tripped  away  to  obey,  coming  back  after  a 
few  moments  with  such  a  bright  and  happy  face  that  Mr.  Rose 
velt  thought  she  had  never  looked  so  lovely  before. 

All  the  morning  they  drove,  four  long,  delightful  hours— 


WHAT    NEXTt  249 

hours  that  were  always  a  pleasant  memory  afterward  to  both  of 
them;  and  many  who  saw  the  nicely  dressed  old  gentleman, 
with  the  fair,  bright,  golden-haired  girl  beside  him  in  their 
elegant  carriage,  thought  what  a  green  old  age  must  be  his, 
with  so  much  to  make  life  pleasant. 

About  one  o'clock  they  turned  toward  the  city  once  more, 
and  Star  said,  with  a  sigh  of  pleasure  : 

' '  Uncle  Jacob,  1  believe  there  never  was  such  a  perfect  day 
before,  and  I'm  sure  I  never  enjoyed  a  birthday  more.  You 
were  very  kind  to  plan  this  pleasure  for  me. " 

The  old  gentleman's  eyes  twinkled.  Her  delight,  her  bright, 
animated  face  were  such  a  joy  to  him. 

"  If  I  had  only  been  rich  as  I  used  to  be,  I  should  so  like 
to  have  made  you  some  nice  present  to-day — a  watch,  for  in 
stance,"  he  said. 

"  You  gave  me  something  last  night  which  I  value  far  better 
— your  confidence,"  Star  said,  softly.  "I  should  like  a  watch," 
she  added,  after  a  moment,  "and  I  mean  to  have  one  some 
time.  When  I  have  earned  it,  you  shall  go  and  select  it  for  me, 
if  you  will.  But  what  have  you  done  with  your  own,  Uncle 
Jacob?  You  had  a  very  nice  one  when  I  first  met  you,  and  I 
remember  seeing  it  on  you  after  the  wreck." 

"Watches  and  I  have  not  had  much  in  common  during  the 
last  two  years, "  he  answered,  evasively ;  and  she  thought  per 
haps  he  had  been  obliged  to  sell  it  since  he  became  poor. 

All  at  once  the  carriage  stopped  in  a  quiet  street  up  town, 
which,  Star  noticed,  was  lined  on  both  sides  with  elegant  brown- 
stone  dwellings. 

"What  are  we  stopping  here  for?"  she  asked. 

"A  good  woman  whom  I  used  to  know  lives  here,  and  1 
thought,  as  we  were  in  gala  attire  to-day,  I  would  like  to  stop 
and  make  a  call,  and — introduce  my  Star  to  her,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
said,  preparing  to  alight 


2 50  WHAT    NEXT? 

He  helped  Star  out,  and  together  they  went  up  the  marble 
steps. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  rang  the  bell,  and  then  took  a  card  from  one 
jf  his  pockets,  and,  with  an  arch  smile,  said  : 

"It  almost  seems  as  if  we  were  really  fine  people,  doesn't  it, 
Pressed  in  our  best,  riding  about  in  our  carriage,  and  sending 
our  cards  in  at  a  brown-stone  house?" 

"Yes,  indeed;  and  it  would  be  such  fun  if  we  could  keep 
it  up  for  awhile,"  Star  said,  gayly.  "But, "with  a  regretful 
little  sigh,  "like  Cinderella  of  old,  I  suppose  we  shall  soon  be 
aroused  to  the  fact  that  our  coach  and  horses  are  gone,  and  find 
the  stern  realities  of  life  staring  us  in  the  face  again." 

Mr,  Rosevelt  laughed. 

"  Would  you  like  to  be  a  fine  lady,  Star?"  he  asked. 

"I  don't  know,"  she  answered,  thoughtfully.  "I  believe  I 
should  like  to  try  it  for  a  little  while,  just  to  see  how  it  would 
seem. " 

There  was  not  time  for  any  more  conversation,  for  the  door 
was  at  this  moment  opened  by  a  neat-looking  servant. 

She  appeared  to  recognize  Mr.  Rosevelt,  for  she  greeted  him 
with  a  smile,  and  then  her  eyes  wandered  inquiringly  to  Star's 
lovely  face. 

She  invited  them  to  enter,  and  conducted  them  into  a  hand 
some  drawing-room  on  the  right  of  the  hall,  when,  taking  Mr. 
Rosevelt's  card,  she  retired,  leaving  them  alone. 

"What  a  lovely  room!"  Star  breathed,  as  her  eyes  roved 
about  the  apartment,  over  the  beautiful  pictures,  the  bright, 
rich  carpet,  the  carved  ebony  furniture,  upholstered  in  warm- 
hued  satins,  choice  bric-a-brac,  and  all  those  fine  things  which 
add  so  much  to  a  place  like  that.  "Your  friend  must  be  a 
'fine  lady,'  with  plenty  of  money,"  she  added. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  merely  nodded  his  head  in  reply,  while  he 
watched  the  door  with  evident  impatience. 

It  was  soon  slowly  opened,  and  a  familiar  face  appeared  in 


WHAT    NEXT? 


251 


the  aperture — a  face  all  beaming  with  smiles  of  pleasure  and 
good  nature. 

"Mrs.  Blunt!"  cried  Star,  in  astonishment;  and  springing 
toward  the  woman,  she  grasped  both  her  hands  warmly. 

"Yes,  Miss  Star,"  the  woman  returned,  half  laughing,  half 
crying;  "  I  am  Mrs.  Blunt,  or  I'm  much  mistaken,  as  I  some 
times  imagine  I  may  be  when  I  get  to  thinking  about  every 
thing,  and  how  strange  it  has  all  turned  out.  How  well  you're 
looking,  miss,  and  it  does  my  old  eyes  a  wonderful  sight  of 
good  to  see  your  bright  face  again." 

Star  thought  her  language  somewhat  ambiguous;  but  every 
thing  seemed  rather  ambiguous  just  then. 

"Do  you  live  here?"  she  questioned. 

"Yes,  I  live  here;  or " 

"Have  you  been  in  New  York  long?  and  why  haven't  we 
seen  you  before?  and  what  are  yon  laughing  at?" 

The  young  girl's  astonishment  seemed  to  increase,  for  the 
woman  appeared  strangely,  and  was  shaking  with  suppressed 
laughter. 

"I'm  laughing  because  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you.  I've  been 
in  New  York  a  month,  and  haven't  been  to  see  you  because 
the  last  time  I  saw  Mr.  Rosevelt  he  told  me  he  was  going  to 
bring  you  to  see  me  soon ;  so  I've  been  content  to  wait,"  Mrs. 
Blunt  explained. 

Star  wondered  if  the  present  occupant  of  that  elegant  place 
allowed  her  housekeeper  to  entertain  her  friends  in  the  drawing- 
coom  ;  if  so,  it  was  surely  a  new  departure,  and  not  exactly 
in  accordance  with  Mrs.  Richards'  ideas  of  the ~  treatment  of 
servants. 

"Take  off  your  hat,  dearie,"  Mrs.  Blunt  continued,  "for  I 
have  a  nice  little  lunch  waiting  for  you." 

"A  lunch?"  repeated  Star,  in  amazement,  and  with  a  puzzled 
look  at  Mr.  Rosevelt,  who  was  regarding  her  attentively. 

"Yes;  I  had  orders  to  get  up  the  nicest  lunch  I  could  for 


252 


WHAT   NEXT  I 


my  old  friends,  and  I'm  much  mistaken  if  I  haven't  done  it," 
the  woman  replied,  with  an  air  of  satisfaction. 

"You  must  have  a  very  kind  mistress,"  the  fair  girl  said,  as 
she  drew  off  her  gloves  and  removed  her  hat. 

"I  have,  the  best  in  the  world,"  the  queer  creature  returned, 
with  a  chuckle.  "But  come,  I'll  show  you  the  way  to  the 
dining-room." 

Mr.  Rosevelt  arose,  and  drawing  Star's  hand  within  his  arm, 
followed  her  to  a  room  on  the  opposite  side  of,  and  farther 
down  the  hall. 

As  she  opened  the  door,  Star  saw  a  charming  dining-room, 
furnished  in  costly  woods  of  different  colors,  its  floor  inlaid  in 
an  intricate  and  lovely  pattern. 

In  the  center  stood  a  table,  covered  with  a  heavy  white 
damask  cloth,  and  spread  with  a  glittering  array  of  silver  and 
cut  glass,  and  where  also  a  most  tempting  repast  was  awaiting 
them. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  led  his  wondering  companion  to  one  side  of  the 
table,  and,  looking  down  upon  her  with  the  fondest  look  in  the 
world,  said,  in  a  voice  which  was  not  quite  steady : 

"Star,  my  dear,  my  pure-hearted,  faithful  little  friend,  I  here 
formally  install  you  as  mistress  of  your  awn  table  and  of  your 
won  home.  This  is  to  be  your  seat  henceforth — mine  opposite ; 
and,  my  darling — for  such  you  have  become  to  me — I  trust  you 
will  be  as  happy  as  an  old  man's  love,  gratitude,  and  wealth 
can  make  you." 

Star  had  grown  suddenly  pale  while  he  spoke,  and  regarded 
him  with  a  puzzled  expression. 

"I  do  not  understand,"  she  said,  clasping  both  her  small 
hands  around  his  arm  and  leaning  heavily  upon  him. 

"I  will  tell  you,"  he  answered,  tenderly.  "When  you  met 
me  on  board  that  ill-fated  steamer  I  was  a  very  rich  man.  When 
it  was  wrecked,  and  I  had  discovered  that  you  were  the  grand 
child  of  the  only  woman  whom  I  ever  loved,  and  also  what  a 


WHAT   NEXT?  253 

kind,  tender  little  heart  you  had,  I  formed  a  sudden  resolution. 
I  had  always,  as  I  told  you  last  night,  been  flattered  and  cajoled 
by  my  relatives,  who  knew  I  was  rich,  and  I  resolved  that  I 
would  test  their  sincerity.  If  they  stood  it,  I  would  divide  my 
fortune  into  three  portions,  one  of  which  should  be  yours,  the 
others  theirs.  If  they  did  not,  it  should  all  be  yours,  \{ you 
proved  the  true,  noble  character  which  I  believed  you  to  be. 
That  was  one  reason  why  I  was  so  keenly  disappointed  to  find 
you  gone  when  I  w«nt  to  bid  you  farewell  on  the  steamer ;  bat 
I  meant  to  search  for  you  all  the  same.  And  so  I  pretended  to 
be  the  poor  old  man  whom  you  remember  coming  to  Ellen 
Richards'  that  night  You  know  the  result  No  one  was  true 
to  me  or  kind  to  me  but  my  Star.  Yet  I  had  become  so  sus 
picious  of  everybody,  that  I  resolved  to  study  even  you  thor 
oughly  before  I  committed  myself;  and  so  I  concluded  to  wait 
until  you  had  completed  your  education  before  telling  you  of 
my  actual  position  in  life.  It  was  very  hard,  though,  when  you 
were  in  such  trouble  that  last  night  in  Yonkers,  when  you  told 
me  your  secret  about  writing  your  book,  and  offered  to  share 
your  little  all  with  me  'because  I  was  not  happy  there,'  and  I 
was  sorely  tempted  to  tell  you  all,  surround  you  at  once  with 
everything  to  make  life  beautiful,  and  place  you  in  a  position 
far  above  the  daughter  of  the  woman  who  had  treated  you  so 
shamefully.  On  second  thought,  however,  I  deemed  it  best  to 
wait  until  your  education  should  be  completed,  for  then  you 
would  be  more  free  to  enjoy  the  good  things  of  life. " 

"Then  you  have  not  been  poor  at  all?"  faltered  Scar,  as  he 
paused  for  a  moment 

"No;  I  have  had  abundance.  I  own  this  house,  and  have 
for  years.  I  own  a  block  on  Broadway,  and — well,  little  one, 
there  is  enough  to  enable  you  and  me  to  do  pretty  much  as 
we  like  for  the  remainder  of  our  lives,"  he  answered,  with  a 
fond  smile. 

"Then  I  cannot  take  care  of  you.     I  thought  I  was  going 


/54  WHAT    NEXT? 

10  make  you  so  comfortable,  and  that,  with  teaching  and  the  in 
come  from  my  book,  we  could  have  such  nice  times  together," 
Star  said,  wistfully,  and  hardly  able,  even  yet,  to  comprehend 
the  change  in  her  circumstances. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  patted  her  softly  on  the  shoulder,  though  a  tear 
sprang  to  his  eyes  at  her  words. 

"No,  dear,"  he  returned;  "you  cannot  take  care  of  me  in 
that  way.  I  am  going  to  take  care  of  you ;  but  you  can  still 
make  me  so  comfortable.  We  can  still  have  nice  times  together, 
and  I  shall  be  very  proud  to  introduce  the  young  authoress  of 
'Chatsworth's  Pride'  as  my  ward  and  future  heiress. 

"Bless  you,  child !"  he  continued,  his  fine  face  glowing  with 
happiness;  "don't  you  suppose  it  is  going  to  be  a  comfort  to 
me  to  try  to  make  you  happy  and  give  you  everything  you 
wish,  after  all  your  constancy,  patience,  and  self-denial  for  me? 
Don't  you  suppose  I  enjoyed  fitting  up  this  house  for  you  after 
my  tenant  gave  it  up,  some  six  months  ago?  And  don't  you  be 
lieve,  too,  that  Mrs.  Blunt  was  glad  to  come  and  be  housekeeper 
for  us?"  and  he  turned  kindly  to  the  woman,  who  had  been 
standing  in  the  background  during  these  explanations. 

"You  may  be  sure  I'm  much  mistaken  if  I  wasn't,"  she 
returned,  eagerly,  her  eyes  gleaming  with  delight,  and  her 
gratitude  for  the  position  shining  through  her  homely  but  good- 
natured  face. 

"And  I  am  very  glad,  too.  It  is  the  nicest  arrangement  in 
the  world,"  Star  said,  heartily;  "and  just  to  think,"  glancing 
around  the  elegant  apartment  with  a  sigh  of  supreme  content, 
"that  I  am  to  be  surrounded  with  all  this  beauty !  It  is  like  a 
fairy  tale,  or  a  dream  of  enchantment " 

"I  told  you  I  had  the  best  mistress  in  the  world,"  Mrs.  Blunt 
said,  chuckling;  "but  we  didn't  imagine  anything  like  this, 
Miss  Star,  that  Sunday  when  we  were  stoning  raisins  and  stem 
ming  currants. " 


WHAT    NEXT?  255 

"No,  indeed,"  Star  answered,  laughing.  "But  you  don't, 
mean  to  tell  me  that  you  consider  me  your  mistress." 

• '  I  never'd  ask  for  a  better, "  the  woman  said,  earnestly ; 
then,  turning  to  Mr.  Rosevelt,  she  resumed  : 

"And  now,  sir,  won't  you  please  eat  your  lunch  and  tell 
the  rest  of  the  story  afterward,  for  everything  will  be  spoiled 
waiting. " 

' '  Yes,  indeed — yes,  indeed  ;  to  be  sure  we  will.  There,  Miss 
Gladstone,  sit  down  by  your  tea-urn,  and  make  me  the  best  cup 
of  tea  that  was  ever  brewed,  while  I  serve  you  to  some  of  that 
tempting  salad.  ' 

He  forced  her  gently  into  her  chair,  and  going  around  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  table,  began  to  wait  upon  her  in  the  most 
chivalrous  manner. 

"Ah!  this  is  what  I  call  comfort,  dear,"  he  said,  in  a  satisfied 
tone,  after  Mrs.  Blunt  had  withdrawn  to  see  that  the  straw 
berries  and  cream  were  properly  served;  "this  is  what  I  have 
been  dreaming  about  for  a  whole  year;  and  now,  after  we  have 
appeased  our  hunger — and,  by  the  way,  I  believe  I  am  half- 
famished,  or  else  Mrs.  Blunt's  efforts  in  the  culinary  line  are 
wonderfully  successful — we  will  go  over  the  house,  and  see  if 
everything  suits  you.  What  are  you  looking  at  the  clock  for? 
Your  school  days  are  over,  Miss  Gladstone." 

Star  laughed  somewhat  nervously,  and  flushed. 

"I  was  looking  to  see  how  many  hours  would  elapse  before 
the  clock  would  strike  twelve,  and  wondering  if  it  would  dis 
solve  the  spell  that  is  on  me." 

''No  fear  of  that,  Starling.  The  hours,  days,  and  months, 
and  years,  I  trust,  will  roll  by  and  bring  you  only  joy  and 
pleasure,  with  no  rude  awaking.  You  are  to  have  everything 
that  you  want — and  mind,  by  that  I  do  not  mean  just  what  you 
need,  and  have  you  stop  to  count  the  cost  on  those  pretty 
fingers  of  yours,  as  I  have  seen  you  do  so  often.  You  shall 
have  music  and  painting  to  your  heart's  content.  You  shall 


256 


WHAT   NEXT? 


have  a  pair  of  ponies  and  a  phaeton  of  the  most  approved 
style ;  and,  in  fact,  little  girl,  it  will  take  you  a  good  while  to 
find  the  bottom  of  my  purse.  But  how  do  you  like  your  tea- 
service?  I  chose  it  myself,  and  had  it  marked  expressly  for 
you. " 

"It  is  perfectly  lovely, "Star  replied,  as  her  eyes  roved  ad 
miringly  over  the  beautiful  and  costly  equipage,  upon  each 
piece  of  which  there  gleamed  a  star  in  delicate  frost-work. 

"I'm  glad  you  like  it.  And  now,  my  dear,  suppose  you 
open  that  small  box  by  your  plate." 

Star  gave  him  a  wondering  look — indeed,  all  her  looks  had 
been  wondering  ones  during  the  last  hour — and  opened  a  little 
white  box,  which  had  until  now  lain  unnoticed  beside  her 
plate. 

She  found  inside  a  morocco  case,  and  springing  back  the  lid 
of  this,  an  elegant  little  watch  and  chatelaine  were  exposed  to 
her  delighted  eyes. 

"Uncle  Jacob  !  I  cannot  tell  whether  I  am  awake  or  dream 
ing,"  she  cried,  a  rosy  flush  spreading  over  her  whole  face.  "It 
is  the  dearest  little  watch  in  the  world.  And  is  this  star  on  the 
case  made  of  diamonds?" 

"  Yes ;  diamonds  are  none  too  good  for  my  star." 

"  And  you  had  this  waiting  for  me,  even  when  we  were  talk 
ing  about  my  having  a  watch  while  we  were  driving  ?" 

"  Yes;  I  was  only  sounding  you  a  little  to  see  if  you  would 
like  a  watch  best  or  something  else.  Now,  if  you  are  through, 
put  it  in  your  belt  and  come  with  me,"  he  said,  rising  from 
the  table. 

She  followed  his  example,  and  together  they  passed  from  the 
beautiful  dining-room  out  into  the  hall,  and  thence  to  another 
room  on  the  front  of  the  house,  which  was  fitted  up  as  half 
library,  half  music-room. 

In  it  there  stood  a  new  Steinway  piano,  with  a  richly  carved 
ease  and  pearl  keys.  The  handsome  bookcases,  each  sur- 


WHAT  NEXT* 

mounted  by  books  of  popular  authors,  were  filled  with  choice 
volumes,  while  the  other  furniture,  upholstered  in  olive  and 
crimson,  was  most  luxurious. 

From  here  they  went  up  stairs,  and  over  the  drawing-room 
found  a  most  charming  suite  of  rooms,  furnished  throughout 
in  blue  and  white. 

The  dainty  bed,  in  its  pretty  chamber,  was  draped  with  an^ 
tique  lace,  over  blue  silken  curtains,  with  a  spread  to  match ; 
draperies  of  the  same  kind  hung  at  the  windows,  and  all  the 
toilet  articles  were  of  costly  china,  most  beautifully  decorated. 
The  boudoir,  or  sitting-room,  was  fitted  up  with  every  con- 
venience,  and  all  those  pretty  trifles  which  young  girls  so  much 
admire,  carpeted  with  wreaths  of  forget-me-nots  and  golden- 
hearted  daisies.  The  furniture  was  covered  with  richest  brocade 
of  the  same  design,  while  the  full-length  mirror,  in  its  massive 
blue  and  gold  frame,  revealed,  as  Star  went  up  to  it,  a  beautiful 
maiden,  with  shining  hair,  gleaming  eyes,  smiling  coral  lips, 
and  glowing  cheeks — a  fitting  tenant  for  this  lovely  bower. 

"Allow  me  to  introduce  you  to  the  heiress  of  Jacob  Rose- 
velt,  the  millionaire,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  taking  her  hand 
and  bowing  before  the  fair  apparition  in  the  glass.  "  How  do 
you  like  her?" 

"I  can't  tell  just  yet,  she  is  such  a  new  creature;  but," 
with  a  roguish  look  up  into  his  eyes,  "I'm  very  fond  of  the 
millionaire." 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Gladstone  ;  your  favor  is  most  highly  ap 
preciated,"  he  returned,  laughing.  "But  come,  you  must  see 
my  bachelor  den ;"  and  he  led  her  across  the  hall  to  a  room 
over  the  dining-room,  and  here  she  found  every  comfort,  if 
something  less  of  elegance. 

Opposite  her  sitting-room  there  was  a  great  chamber,  fur 
nished  in  crimson  and  gold,  while  up  another  flight  were  the 
servants'  rooms.  Mrs.  Blunt's  room  was  on  the  lower  floor, 


358  STAR'S    DELIGHT. 

where  she  could  conveniently  overlook  her  assistants  at  all 
hours. 

"It  is  like  a  story,"  Star  said,  when  they  had  been  the 
rounds  and  came  back  to  the  library;  "and  now  what  are  we 
to  do  next,  Uncle  Jacob?" 

Her  plans  had  all  been  for  work,  and  now  that  she  found 
there  was  to  be  no  more  toil  or  care  for  her — nothing  but 
pleasure  and  what  her  own  sweet  will  dictated,  she  hardly  knew 
where  or  how  to  take  up  the  thread  of  her  life  again ;  therefore 
the  query : 

"  What  are  we  to  do  next,  Uncle  Jacob?" 


CHAPTER  XXV, 
STAR'S  DELIGHT. 

"What  are  we  going  to  do  next?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  repeated. 
"Why,  enjoy  it  all,  to  be  sure.  I  have  waited  a  good  while  for 
this  good  time,  and  now  I  am  going  to  make  the  most  of  it 
First,  Miss  Gladstone  must  atlen  1  to  that  very  important  item, 
Miss  Gladstone's  wardrobe,  which  must  be  suitable  for  her 
position;  and.  Star,  I  shall  be  quite  particular  upon  that  point; 
let  it  be  both  rich  and  elegant.  Then,  as  the  hot  weather 
conies  on,  there  will  be  a  trip  to  Newport  and  the  White 
Mountains,  or  some  other  place  equally  pleasant,  and  after 
that — well,  something  else,  I  suppose,"  he  concluded,  with  a 
smile. 

Star  heaved  a  sigh  of  delight. 

It  was  nice,  after  all,  to  be  surrounded  by  all  this  beauty  and 
elegance,  and  to  have  everything  heart  could  wish. 

She  had  applied  for  a  position  as  a  teacher,  and  had  hoped 


STAR  S    DELIGHT. 


259 


also  to  do  sometking  toward  writing  another  book  during  the 
coming  year;  but  now,  of  course,  she  could  not  teach,  and 
there  was  no  actual  need  that  she  should  use  her  pen,  although 
the  enticing  finger  of  fame  seemed  beckoning  to  her,  urging 
her  to  try  for  even  greater  literary  honors. 

Her  wardrobe ! 

Of  what  should  it  consist,  to  be  suitable  for  her  position  as 
the  heiress  of  a  millionaire? 

It  was  rather  a  difficult  question  to  decide,  when,  during  the 
last  two  years,  her  means  had  been  too  limited  to  allow  of  her 
gratifying  her  naturally  exquisite  taste,  and  all  she  had  possessed 
in  the  way  of  dresses  had  been  scarce  half  a  dozen,  and  those 
of  the  commonest  material. 

The  next  fortnight  was  a  busy  one  with  dressmakers,  mil 
liners,  and  seamstresses ;  for  Mr.  Rosevelt  said  he  wished  to  go 
to  Newport  by  the  middle  or  last  of  July,  if  possible. 

Mrs.  Blunt  was  jubilant  over  the  change  in  "Miss  Star's 
fortunes." 

"Just  to  think  of  it!"  she  would  exclaim  every  little  while. 
"Who  would  have  dreamed  of  it  two  years  ago,  when  you  were 
at  Madam  Richards',  and  she  trying  to  make  a  drudge  of  you  "* 
Don't  I  wish  I  might  be  on  hand  when  you  and  Miss  Josephine 
meet,  if  you  ever  do,  and  she  hears  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  was  only 
playing  poverty  all  the  time,  just  to  try  his  proud  relations  1  I 
tell  you  there'll  be  music  by  the  full  band." 

The  young  girl  flushed. 

Josephine  had,  indeed,  been  very  unkind  to  her,  and  it  had 
been  hard  not  to  resent  the  theft  of  her  beautiful  little  cameo 
but  she  was  not  one  to  treasure  ill-will.  Her  little  heart  was 
full  of  "Christian  charity, "and  full  of  gratitude  for  the  bless 
ings  which  were  surrounding  her,  and  she  was  ready  to  forgive 
all  past  injuries. 

"I  should  at  least  try  to  remember,"  she  returned,  quietly, 
in  reply  to  the  housekeeper's  somewhat  vindictive  speech,  ' '  that 


J  wish  to  be  a  lady  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  term,  and  treat 
her  accordingly.  But,"  she  continued,  wishing  to  change  the 
subject,  "you  have  never  told  me  yet  how  you  happened  to 
come  to  keep  house  for  us.  I  think  it  was  one  of  the  nicest 
arrangements  that  was  ever  made." 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Star,"  the  woman  answered,  with  a  beam 
ing  face;  "and  you'd  better  believe  it  was  a  chance  that  I 
jumped  at.  I  suppose  I  should  have  been  slaving  it  for  that 
ungrateful  set  now  if  I  hadn't  come  over  to  New  York  one  day 
about  three  months  ago,  and  met  Mr.  Roseveit  on  Broadway, 
all  by  chance.  He  seemed  glad  to  see  me,  and  asked  how  I 
was  getting  on  ;  and  I  was  that  discouraged  with  the  way  things 
were  being  managed,  the  cross  words,  complaints,  and  every 
thing,  that  I  told  him  I  was  sick  and  tired  of  it  all,  and  meant 
to  find  another  place  just  as  soon  as  ever  I  could,  though  good 
ness  knows  I  hadn't  an  idea  where  that  would  be.  Upon  that 
he  looked  thoughtful,  and,  after  a  moment,  said  'he  didn't 
believe  in  hiring  people  away  from  their  employers,  but  if  I 
really  meant  to  go  away,  he  thought  he  knew  of  some  one  who 
woulcj  like  just  such  a  person  for  a  housekeeper.'  I  tell  you  I 
jumped  at  th2  chance,  for  ever  since  that  young  lord  took  him 
self  off  so  quick,  the  madam  has  been  so  irritable  that  nothing 
would  please  her;  and  Mr.  Roseveit  said  when  I  had  worked 
out  my  notice  to  come  to  him,  and  I'd  find  him  any  day  at 
home  at  ten  o'clock.  I  suppose  he  set  that  hour  because  he 
didn't  want  you  to  know  what  was  going  on.  I  gave  my  notice 
the  next  day,  worked  out  my  two  weeks,  and  came  over  to  New 
York  lighter  of  heart  than  I'd  been  for  years. 

"When  Mr.  Roseveit  told  me  about  what  he'd  been  doing, 
and  what  he  was  going  to  $o,  and  said  he  wanted  me  for  his 
own  housekeeper,  my  eyes  stuck  out  so  that  I  thought  they'd 
never  feel  natural  again  ;  but  if  ever  an  old  woman  was  happy, 
I  was,  to  think  I  was  going  to  serve  you ;  and  here  I've  been 
gver  ;ince,  helping  him  fix  up  for  you. 


STAJt'S    DELIGHT.  t6l 

"  It's  like  a  beautiful  story,  Miss  Star,"  continued  Mrs.  Blunt, 
waxing  sentimental,  "to  see  you  here  among  all  these  elegant 
things,  for  which  you  were  just  made,  or  I'm  much  mistaken ; 
and  when  I  see  you  coming  out  in  all  of  these  lovely  clothes, 
nobody '11  be  prouder  than  I." 

"You  are  very  good,  Mrs.  Blunt,  to  be  so  interested  for 
me,"  Star  said,  with  a  smile;  "and  if  what  you  want  is  to  see 
me  'come  out  in  these  fine  things, 'you  will  have  your  wish, 
for  we  shall  have  to  take  you  to  Newport  with  us,  as  I  must 
have  some  one  to  attend  me,  and  I  cannot  consent  to  take  a 
stranger." 

"That  will  be  almost  as  good  as  to  come  out  myself,"  the 
woman  said,  with  a  chuckle  of  delight. 

Star's  wardrobe  and  pretty  things  were  all  ready  at  last,  and 
Mr.  Rosevelt,  who  had  taken  a  strange  interest  m  it,  for  a 
bachelor,  was  perfectly  satisfied. 

He  had  made  her  elegant  presents  in  the  way  of  jewelry  and 
laces,  until  she  felt  almost  overwhelmed. 

"Diamonds!"  she  had  exclaimed,  her  face  flushing  all  over 
with  delight,  when,  the  day  before  they  were  to  leave,  he  came 
into  her  sitting-room  and  laid  a  case  in  her  lap,  telling  her  to 
open  it.  He  had  already  purchased  her  several  other  sets,  but 
this  was  the  crowning  gift  of  all. 

She  had  thought  when  he  had  given  her  some  beautiful  point- 
laces,  that  if  she  only  had  some  diamonds  to  go  with  them  she 
should  like  it;  they  were  the  two  things  for  which  she  had  an 
especial  passion — rich  laces  and  those  pellucid  stones,  like 
drops  of  dew  which  send  back  the  light  in  gorgeous  tints.  She 
would  have  been  content  with  just  a  pair  of  ear-pendants  and  a 
solitaire  ring — she  was  content,  indeed,  without  them,  but  she 
thought  how  nicely  they  would  go  with  her  laces ;  but  there, 
dazzling  her  eyes  upon  their  velvet  bed,  were  ear-pendants,  a 
cross  attached  to  a  beautiful  chain,  a  solitaire  ring,  and  a  star 
for  her  hair. 


262  STAR'S    DELIGHT. 

"Oh,  Uncle  Jacob,"  she  faltered,  "I  am  afraid  you  arc 
spending  too  much  money  for  me." 

"Don't  you  like  them?"  he  questioned,  although  her  glow 
ing  face  should  have  told  him  all  he  wished  to  know. 

"Like  them?  They  are  perfectly  lovely;  and  I  do  particu 
larly  love  diamonds. " 

"Then  don't  trouble  your  pretty  head  about  the  money. 
You  know  I  have  been  denied  all  my  life  the  pleasure  of  spend 
ing  it  for  either  wife  or  child,  and  now  that  I  have  found  some 
one  who  appreciates  and  is  worthy  of  it,  let  me  get  all  the 
comfort  I  can  in  this  way.  You  forget,"  he  continued,  with  a 
smile,  "that  there  are  two  years'  income  to  be  disposed  of  in 
some  way,  and  I  am  only  making  up  lost  time.  I  like  to  go 
about  the  world,  and  I  like  to  go  in  style,  as  I  told  you  once 
before,  and  so  my  heiress  must  help  me  keep  up  appearances." 

"Are  you  sure  you  are  doing  just  right,  Uncle  Jacob,  in 
giving  me  all  your  money?"  Star  asked,  hesitatingly,  after  a+few 
minutes  of  thoughtful  silence,  while  she  watched  the  sunlight 
play  among  her  new  treasures. 

"To  whom  should  I  give  it,  I  should  like  to  know?"  he 
questioned,  bluntly. 

"But  I  have  no  legal  claim  upon  you,  and  you  have  rela 
tives.  I'm  afraid  it  will  make  trouble " 

"No,  it  won't;  I've  taken  care  of  that,  I  can  assure  you," 
he  interrupted.  "My  will  is  made,  signed,  and  sealed,  and  in 
the  hands  of  one  of  the  best  lawyers  in  the  city.  You  are  to 
have  the  whole  of  my  fortune,  excepting  what  the  law  demands 
for  blood.  I've  given  a  dollar  to  each  of  them,  just  to  clear 
myself  and  keep  them  from  breaking  my  will ;  and  they'll  never 
get  another  red  cent,"  he  concluded,  with  more  asperity  than 
she  had  ever  seen  him  betray  before. 

"I'm  afraid  you  are  piling  a  mountain  upon  my  small 
shoulders,"  Star  said,  with  a  little  laugh. 

"It  is  a  mountain  which  I  shall  take  care  won't  crush  you; 


STAR'S    DELIGHT. 


263 


and,  besides,  I  hope  to  help  you  bear  it  for  a  good  many  years 
to  come,  if  my  health  keeps  on  improving  as  it  has  done  during 
the  last  few  months ;  and  then,  I  reckon,  it  will  not  be  very 
difficult  to  find  some  one  else  who  would  be  willing  to  take  a 
share  of  the  burden,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  concluded,  slyly. 

Star  flushed,  and  then  her  face  grew  sad. 

She  knew  that  he  meant  she  would  find  suitors  for  her  hand ; 
but  she  could  not  forget  her  first  love,  and  she  knew  that  she 
should  never  meet  another  who  would  win  the  place  in  her 
heart  which  she  had  given  to  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  unworthy 
as  she  believed  him  to  be  of  it. 

That  evening  Miss  Meredith  and  her  brother  called. 

"How  fortunate  that  you  came  to-night,"  Star  said  to  the 
young  lady  during  their  conversation.  "  You  would  have  missed 
us  if  you  had  waited  longer,  for  to-morrow  we  go  to  Newport 
for  a  few  weeks. " 

"Do  you?  That  is  delightful,  for  we  have  our  rooms  en 
gaged  there  also  for  next  week,  and  intend  to  remain  a  month," 
Miss  Meredith  returned,  with  evident  pleasure,  while  Mr  Ralph 
Meredith,  who  was  conversing  with  Mr.  Rosevelt,  but  with  one 
ear  open  toward  the  young  ladies,  felt  a  sudden  heart-throb  at 
the  intelligence. 

"Newport  is  very  gay  this  summer,  I  am  told,"  Miss  Mere 
dith  continued.  "  'Everybody,'  so  to  speak,  is  there,  and  it  is 
one  of  the  most  charming  places  in  the  world  to  visit  Have 
you  ever  been  there,  Miss  Gladstone?" 

"No,"  Star  answered.  "I  have  been  so  busy  with  my 
studies  ever  since  I  came  to  this  country,  that  I  have  not  been 
anywhere. " 

"Since  you  came  to  this  country !"  Grace  Meredith  repeated. 
"Are  you  not  an  American?" 

"No;  I  am  an  English  girl,  and  it  will  be  two  years  in 
November  since  I  left  merrie  England. " 

"Are  you  some  lady  of  high  degree,  come  here  to  get  your 


>64  STAR'S    DELIGHT. 

education?  I  am  almost  inclined  to  think  so,"  laughed  her 
friend,  bending  an  admiring  glance  upon  Star's  beautiful  face. 

"No,  indeed.  Don't  go  to  weaving  any  romances  about 
me,"  she  answered,  flushing  slightly,  "for  I  am  only  plain  Star 
Gladstone. " 

"But  'plain  Star  Gladstone'  belongs  to  a  very  good  family, 
nevertheless,"  interrupted  Mr.  Rosevelt,  who  had  overheard  the 
latter  part  of  their  conversation,  and  would  not  allow  Star  to 
depreciate  herself;  whereupon  Miss  Meredith  did  feel  at  liberty 
to  ' '  romance"  a  little  on  her  own  account. 

Star  was  asked  for  some  music,  and  delighted  her  listeners 
with  her  exquisite  playing.  Miss  Meredith  and  her  brother 
sang  a  charming  duet,  and  after  an  hour  spent  in  the  most 
social  manner,  they  took  their  departure/  having  formed  numer 
ous  plans  to  be  carried  into  execution  when  they  should  meet  a 
week  later  at  Newport. 

"Miss  Gladstone  is  the  loveliest  girl  I  have  ever  met,  and 
you  wouldn't  let  me  get  a  word  in  edgewise  with  her,  Grace," 
Ralph  Meredith  said,  in  a  grieved  tone,  after  they  left  the 
house. 

"Are  you  'star '-struck  so  soon,  brother  mine?  You'll  have 
opportunities  enough  to  'get  your  words  in '  widthways  during 
the  next  few  weeks,  and  you  can  comfort  yourself  for  your  dis 
appointment  to-night  with  the  thought  that  I  was  paving  the 
way  to  glory  for  you,"  laughed  his  sister. 

"Were  you  not  surprised  to  learn  that  she  is  English?"  she 
asked,  thoughtfully. 

"Yes,  rather;  for  I  have  been  told  that  English  girls  are  not 
very  pretty;  but  she  is  wonderfully  beautiful." 

"  What  will  you  wager  that  she  does  not  turn  out  to  be  some 
lady  of  high  degree?" 

"  Pshaw  1  Grace,  you  are  always  imagining  some  unlikely 
story  or  other.  You  should  not  read  so  many  novels.  Don't 
put  her  entirely  beyond  our  reach,  if  you  please.  It  is  quite 


"WHAT   DOES    THIS    MEANf"  265 

enough  for  the  present  to  know  that  she  is  Mr,  Rosevelt's 
heiress  and  the  author  of  that  charming  little  book,  without 
being  some  princess  in  disguise,"  returned  the  young  man, 
somewhat  impatiently. 

"I  think  I  shall  like  Miss  Meredith,"  Star  said,  musingly,  to 
Mr.  Rosevelt,  when  their  visitors  were  gone. 

"She  appears  to  be  a  very  agreeable  young  lady.  I  should 
like  you  to  form  some  pleasant  friendship,"  the  old  gentleman 
returned ;  then,  with  a  keen  glance,  he  asked :  "  How  are  you 
pleased  with  her  brother?" 

"  He  is  quite  entertaining." 

"  Very  fine-looking  young  man ;  don't  you  think  so?" 

"Is  he? — yes — rather,"  was  the  absent  reply;  for  speaking 
of  England  had  sent  Star's  thoughts  across  the  ocean  again, 
where  she  saw  in  imagination  a  noble,  patrician  face,  with  dark, 
fathomless  eyes,  and  curling  chestnut  hair;  for  Archibald  Sher- 
brooke — she  could  never  think  of  him  in  any  other  character- 
was  her  ideal  of  all  that  was  manly  and  grand. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
"WHAT  DOES  THIS  MEAN?" 

Newport  was  teeming  with  all  that  was  gay,  beautiful,  and 
attractive  during  this  particular  season  of  which  we  write. 

Never  had  so  much  wealth  and  luxury  been  represented 
there,  or  so  many  elegant  equipages  seen  driving  through  the 
streets  or  along  the  smooth,  sweeping  beach. 

Not  the  least  attractive  among  these  equipages  was  the  light 
and  airy,  though  costly  phaeton  of  "  Mr.  Rosevelt's  ward,"  with 
its  embroidered  lap-robes,  its  luxurious  velvet-cushioned  seats; 


266  "WHAT    DOES     THIS    MEAN?" 

its  plump,  sleek,  and  sprited  gray  ponies  in  their  gold-mounted 
harnesses. 

Star  had  created  quite  a  sensation  when  she  arrived  at  the 
hotel  where  they  had  taken  rooms ;  and  the  taUy  distinguished 
old  gentleman,  with  such  silvery  hair  and  beard,  and  who  ap 
peared  so  devoted  to  her,  was  scarcely  less  a  target  for  all  eyes. 
But  when  it  began  to  be  whispered  that  Miss  Gladstone  was 
not  only  the  heiress  of  Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire,  but 
also  the  authoress  of  that  bright  little  book  which  for  a  year 
had  created  such  a  sensation  in  New  York  circles,  the  excite 
ment  increased,  and  everybody  was  on  the  qui  vive  to  obtain  an 
introduction. 

When,  on  the  second  evening  after  her  arrival,  she  came  into 
the  great  parlors  of  the  hotel — for  there  was  to  be  a  grand  hop 
or  assembly  there  that  night — leaning  on  Mr.  Rosevelt's  arm, 
and  looking  "so  divinely  fair"  in  her  shimmering  robe  of 
cream-colored  silk  and  mist-like  tulle,  garnished  with  velvet- 
leaved,  golden-hearted  pansies,  her  shining  hair  coiled  like  a 
crown  about  her  small  head,  with  a  little  cluster  of  pansies 
nestling  lovingly  among  its  glossy  plaits,  every  eye  was  attracted 
by  her  loveliness,  and  everybody — of  the  masculine  gender,  at 
least — was  ready  to  ' '  rave  over "  her,  ' '  swear  by "  her,  and 
' '  fight  for  "  her  if  need  be. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  she  was  not  allowed  to  become  a 
wall-flower,  and  it  was  amusing  to  observe  the  maneuvers  of 
the  battalion  of  gallant  young  knights  who  swarmed  about  her, 
like  bees  around  their  queen,  eager  to  secure  an  introduction. 

And  now  the  excitement  for  Star  began. 

She  was  whisked  away  to  the  ball-room,  and  the  evening 
sped  like  a  vision  of  delight. 

She  had  been  taught  to  dance  at  home,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  her  father  was  a  clergyman,  for  in  all  English  homes 
dancing  is  considered  a  necessary  accomplishment,  because  it 
imparts  ease  and  grace  to  the  manners  of  the  young. 


"WHAT    DOES     THIS    MEAN?"  tfy 

Mr.  Rosevelt  followed,  for  he  enjoyed  looking  upon  the 
nciry  dancers,  and  taking  up  his  station  near  a  window,  and 
by  a  stand  of  flowers  where  he  was  partially  shielded  from  ob 
servation,  he  watched  his  pet  with  a  fond  smile  upon  his  lips, 
proud  of  her  beauty,  proud  of  her  intelligence  and  of  the  ad 
miration  she  was  attracting. 

While  standing  here,  a  group  of  half  a  dozen  ladies  and 
gentlemen  gathered  near  him,  and  he  overheard  a  conversation 
which  amused  him,  and  caused  at  the  same  time  something  of 
a  feeling  of  triumph  to  pervade  his  heart 

"Have  you  seen  the  new  arrivals?"  asked  a  gentleman  of 
one  of  his  companions. 

' '  No ;  what  new  arrivals  do  you  refer  to  ?  There  are  many 
every  day." 

' '  An  old  codger  from  New  York — rich  as  a  king,  they  say — 
and  his  ward,  who  bids  fair  to  be  the  beauty  of  the  season." 

"7«deed!"  returned  the  lady,  assuming  a  piqued  tone. 
"  How  dare  you  make  such  an  assertion,  and  in  the  presence 
of  three  acknowledged  beauties,  too  ?" 

"  I  beg  pardon  if  I  have  offended,"  the  gentleman  roguishly 
replied;  "but — I  have  had  Washinglonian  instructions  regard 
ing  the  principle  of  truth." 

The  young  lady  tapped  him  playfully  upon  the  arm  with  her 
Jan,  while  she  remarked,  significantly : 

"  How  glad  I  am  that  you  have  told  me  of  it!"  whereupon 
ihe  whole  party  joined  in  a  laugh  at  the  "truthful"  gentle 
man's  expense. 

"But  about  this  fair  charmer,"  the  lady  pursued  ;  "  who  is 
she,  and  what  is  the  name  of  this  '  old  codger '  who  is  '  rich 
as  a  king'?  " 

"  The  lady's  name  is  Miss  Gladstone,  and  she  is  not  only 
beautiful,  charming,  and  rich,  but  is  also  the  author  of 
'  Chatsworth's  Pride,'  which  you  have  doubtless  read." 

"Oh  !  a  blue-stocking !"  cried  the  gay  girl,  with  well-affected 


j<58  "WHAT    DOES    THIS    MEANf" 

horror;  and  just  here  another  voice  chimed  in — a  voice  which 
made  Mr.  1 '  osevelt  start  and  listen  more  intently : 

"Miss  Gladstone!  How  strange  I  never  heard  the  author's 
name  before!  There  was  only  a  simple  star  upon  the  title- 
page  where  the  author's  name  should  have  been.  Mamma!" 
in  a  startled  tone,  as  if  a  strange  idea  had  suddenly  come  into 
the  speaker's  mind,  "it  cannot  possibly  be  Stella  Gladstone, 
can  it?" 

"Certainly  not,"  returned  Mrs.  Richards — for  both  she  and 
Josephine  were  among  the  group  referred  to,  having  come  from 
a  neighboring  hotel  to  attend  the  hop.  "Such  a  thing  cannot 
be  possible ;  she  could  not  write  a  book. " 

The  woman  spoke  contemptuously,  and  yet  the  utterance  of 
that  name  produced  an  uneasy  sensation  in  her  mind. 

"What  is  the  gentleman's  name?  Whose  ward  did  you  say 
she  is  ?"  she  asked,  a  moment  later,  thinking  that  would  throw 
some  light  on  the  subject. 

"I  declare  I  have  forgotten,"  the  gentleman  returned;  "it's 
a  high-sounding  name,  though,  and  he  is  an  aristocratic-looking 
old  fellow,  too.  By  the  way,  Miss  Richards,"  he  continued, 
turning  to  the  young  lady,  "  I  am  willing  to  wager  a  handsome 
fan  against  a  new  pair  of  gloves  that  Miss  Gladstone's  phaeton 
and  pair  of  ponies  will  be  the  envy  of  every  lady  in  Newport, 
for  a  more  trappy  turn-out  I've  never  seen  in  my  life. " 

"Then  she  drives  her  own  ponies,  does  she?  Well,  I  must 
say  you  have  aroused  my  curiosity  to  the  highest  notch,  and  I'd 
like  to  see  this  paragon  of  perfection,  Mr.  Pendleton,"  Jose1- 
phine  said,  a  feeling  of  jealousy  springing  up  in  her  heart  at 
hearing  another's  praises  sounded  so  profusely. 

' '  You  can  be  gratified,  for  there  she  stands  now — that  slight, 
graceful  girl  in  the  cream-colored  silk  trimmed  with  pansies," 
replied  Mr.  Pendleton,  drawing  her  attention  to  the  spot  where 
Star  stood  surrounded  by  an  admiring  crowd. 


"WHA7    DOES    THIS    MEAN?" 


269 


Her  back  was  turned  toward  them,  and  they  could  not  judge 
of  her  beauty;  but  they  saw  a  tall,  willowy  figure  in  trailing 
robes  of  exceeding  richness,  a  stately  head  crowned  with  golden 
hair,  and  there  was  a  familiar  something  about  the  fair  stranger 
which  made  both  mother  and  daughter  look  more  closely,  while 
their  eyes  were  filled  with  anxious  foreboding. 

"She  is  elegantly  dressed,  I  must  confess,"  Josephine  said, 
putting  up  her  glass  to  get  a  better  view  of  the  "belle  of  the 
evening;"  "and,  mamma,"  she  added,  in  a  lower  tone,  ''is  it 
my  imagination,  or  is  there  something  really  familiar  in  that 
figure?  Can  it  be  Stella  j3" 

"Impossible!  What  could  have  put  such  a  foolish  notion 
into  your  head  ?  Where  under  heavens  could  she  get  money 
enough  to  flourish  in  such  style?"  Mrs.  Richards  retorted,  im 
patiently, 

"But  if  she  is  really  the  author  of  the  book — it  has  been 
very  popular,  you  know " 

" Nonsense  !"  interrupted  her  mother.  "I  tell  you  such  a 
thing  could  not  be  possible." 

Nevertheless,  Mrs.  Richards  was  closely  watching  the  object 
of  their  conversation,  and  her  heart  was  beating  with  a  painful 
throb,  for  the  young  girl  did  strangely  resemble  that  poor 
orphan  whom  she  had  so  despised  and  ill-treated,  and  who  had 
fled  from  her  tyranny. 

But  her  uneasiness  increased,  for  just  now  she  observed  a 
tall,  white-haired  gentleman  moving  toward  the  girl,  and  upon 
reaching  her  side,  he  bent  down  and  spoke  a  few  words  in 
her  ear. 

His  back  also  was  toward  them,  but  the  matron's  face  was 
dark  with  trouble ;  she  grew  white  with  the  sudden  fear  which 
possessed  her,  and  she  moved  forward  to  get  a  better  view  of 
the  couple. 

At  that  instant  Star  turned  and  lifted  her  bright  face  to  reply 
to  Mr.  Rosevelt,  who  had  left  his  position  by  the  stand  of 


270 


"WHAT   DOES     THIS    MEAN?" 


flowers  when  she  ceased  dancing  and  approached  her,  her  eyes 
shining,  her  cheeks  glowing,  and  her  coral  lips  wreathed  with 
bright  smiles,  and  both  Josephine  and  Mrs.  Richards  recognized 
her  instantly. 

A  low  cry  of  surprise  and  dismay  broke  from  Josephine 
Richards'  lips. 

"It  is — it  surely  is  Stella  Gladstone,"  she  said;  "and  that 
man  talking  to  her  is  certainly  Uncle  Jacob  Rosevelt !  What 
can  it  all  mean?" 

"Rosevelt!  Yes,  that  is  the  name,"  said  Mr.  Pendleton, 
who  had  caught  it,  and  who  had  first  called  their  attention  to 
Star.  "  'Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire,' I  heard  him  called 
this  afternoon,  but  I  forget  names  so  easily." 

"Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire!"  repeated  Mrs.  Richards, 
with  white  lips  and  astonished  eyes,  while  a  tumult  of  emotions 
raged  within  her  heart. 

"Yes;  he  must  be  very  rich,  for  they  have  every  appearance 
of  it,  and  Miss  Gladstone's  turn-out,  which  was  sent  on  before 
them,  is  a  marvel  of  luxury  and  elegance.  But — do  you  know 
them  ?"  Mr.  Pendleton  asked,  regarding  her  curiously. 

Mrs.  Richards'  thoughts  worked  very  rapidly. 

If  this  was  really  Jacob  Rosevelt,  and  she  could  not  doubt 
the  evidence  of  her  own  eyes,  he  must  by  some  stroke  of  luck 
have  recovered  a  portion,  if  not  the  whole,  of  his  fortune  since 
leaving  her  house;  and  in  this  case  he  became  at  once  an 
entirely  different  person  from  the  feeble,  poverty-stricken  in 
dividual  who  had  come  to  her  a  little  more  than  a  year  ago  to 
sue  for  food  and  shelter. 

He  had  been  a  person  of  no  account  then — one  to  be  ignored 
and  neglected,  for  there  was  nothing  to  be  gained  by  treating 
him  otherwise. 

But  "Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire,"  if  such  he  had  be 
come  again,  must  be  propitiated,  flattered,  and  cajoled. 


"WHAT     DVES     THIS     MEANT*  371 

Therefore  she  had  a  new  role  to  play,  and  she  would  begin 
at  once  by  claiming  him  as  a  relative  before  these  friends 
of  hers. 

"It  would  be  very  strange  if  I  did  not  know  him,  for  he  is 
my  father's  brother/'  she  said,  calling  to  her  lips  her  blandest 
smiles;  "but  I  am  sure  I  had  no  idea  that  he  was  here  in 
Newport.  Come,  Josephine,  we  must  go  and  speak  to  him ;" 
and  she  drew  the  astonished  girl  away  before  they  could  ques 
tion  them  any  further,  and  she  wished  to  collect  her  own  scat 
tered  senses  a  little  before  encountering  those  two  whom  she 
had  so  deeply  injured. 

"What  can  it  mean,  mamma?"  Josephine  repeated,  with  a 
blank  look,  for  she  had  no  longer  any  doubt  about  the  identity 
of  the  strangers. 

"I  don't  know,  but  I  am  going  to  find  out,"  she  answered, 
resolutely. 

"Then  you  are  convinced  that  it  is  Stella?" 

"Yes,  it  is  that  girl  fast  enough;  there  can  be  no  mistake 
about  it ;  and  what  a  sensation  she  is  making !  She  seems  to 
checkmate  us  at  every  move. " 

"Where  can  they  have  been  hiding  all  this  time?"  Josephine- 
asked. 

' '  How  do  you  suppose  I  know  ?"  retorted  her  mother,  sharply. 
"I  am  more  interested  to  know  where  all  the  money  comes 
from  to  enable  them  to  cut  such  a  swell.  Why,  the  dress  she 
has  on  must  have  cost  a  cool  three  hundred,  to  say  nothing 
about  her  other  expensive  fixings;  and  then  you  heard  what 
Pendleton  said  about  her  carriage  and  ponies." 

"Well,  he  said  she  was  the  author  of  '  Chatsworth's  Pride,1 
and  if  that  is  so,  it  must  have  brought  her  a  good  deal." 

"Pooh  !  you  don't  suppose  one  book  is  going  to  enable  hei 
to  live  and  dress  like  a  young  empress,  do  you?"  returned  Mrs. 


«7*  "  WHA  T  DOES  IT  MEAN  t » 

Richards,  scornfully.  "No;  Uncle  Jacob  has  recovered  his 
fortune,  or  else " 

"Or  else  what?" 

"He  has  played  it  upon  us." 

"Played  what  upon  us?" 

"Why,  poverty,  you  goose!" 

"Mamma !  that  would  be  too  dreadful.  I  never  thought 
of  such  a  thing,"  Josephine  said,  feeling  almost  faint. 

"Nor  I,  until  this  moment;  but  I  can  account  for  their 
appearance  here  to-night  in  no  other  way.  If  he  has  done 
this  thing,  and  that  girl  gets  all  his  money,  it  will  be  a 
bitter  pill  to  swallow,  I  can  tell  you." 

"But  she  could  inherit  nothing ;  she  is  no  blood  relation." 

"But  he  could  make  a  will." 

"And  we  could  break  it." 

"Not  a  bit  of  it;  your  Uncle  Jacob  is  keen  enough  to 
look  out  for  that,  I  assure  you.  But  come  this  way ;  they 
are  passing  out  into  the  hall,  and  I  am  going  to  sift  this 
matter  at  once." 

She  drew  her  daughter  from  the  upper  door  of  the 
parlor,  just  as  Star  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  passed  out  at  the 
lower  one,  intending  to  waylay  them  and  demand  an  ex 
planation  of  their  presence. 

They  turned  and  came  toward  those  waiting  women, 
walking  slowly  and  chatting  pleasantly,  and  wholly  un 
conscious  of  the  exciting  interview  in  store  for  them. 


OSFEA  TED. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

DEFEATED. 

When  they  were  within  a  few  feet  of  the  upper  door,  Mrs. 
Richards  stepped  toward  them  and  stood  directly  in  their  path. 

The  hall  was  nearly  empty,  almost  everybody  being  in  the 
parlors  or  the  dancing-hall,  so  there  was  no  one  by  just  at  that 
moment  to  witness  what  transpired. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  Mrs.  Richards  demanded,  in  a  low 
but  authoritative  tone.  ' '  Stella  Gladstone,  how  is  it  that  I  find 
you  here?  Uncle  Jacob,  where  have  you  been  all  this  time, 
and  what  strange  freak  of  fortune  brings  you  here  in  this  un 
accountable  fashion?" 

Mr.  Rosevelt  started  slightly  on  beholding  his  niece  standing 
in  that  excited  attitude  directly  in  his  path;  while  Star  grew 
pale  at  first,  for  she  had  always  stood  somewhat  in  fear  of  the 
arrogant  woman  while  she  was  an  inmate  of  her  house.  But 
remembering  that  everthing  was  entirely  different  now,  she 
quickly  recovered  herself. 

But  for  all  that,  she  clung  a  little  more  closely  to  Mr.  Rose- 
velt's  arm,  as  if  she  was  glad  that  he  was  there,  though  in  no 
other  way  did  she  betray  how  disagreeable  this  encounter  was 
to  her,  or  appear  as  if  she  had  ever  met  them  before. 

"Tell  me  what  this  means?"  Mrs.  Richards  repeated,  look 
ing  from  one  to  the  other,  noting  Sar's  delicate  beauty  with  a 
pang  of  bitter  jealousy,  her  self-possession  and  grace ;  Mr.  Rose- 
velt's  improved  appearance,  his  rich  apparel,  and  more  than  all, 
the  air  of  pride  and  fondness  which  pervaded  every  look  and 
attention  which  he  bestowed  upon  his  companion. 


274 


DEFEATED. 


' '  Well,  niece  Ellen, "  Mr.  Rosevelt  returned,  in  a  quiet  tone, 
while  he  met  her  eye  with  a  cold,  steady  glance  that  made  her 
very  uncomfortable,  "it  appears  that  you  are  considerably  ex 
cited  over  this  unexpected  meeting.  Suppose  we  retire  to 
yonder  anteroom,  where  we  can  converse  unobserved. " 

He  turned  and  led  the  way,  with  Star  still  upon  his  arm,  to 
a  small  room  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall ;  they  entered, 
and  he  shut  the  door,  for  he  did  not  care  that  any  one  should 
overhear  what  passed  between  them,  nor  did  he  intend  that 
Ellen  Richards  should  do  or  say  anything  which  should  make 
them  objects  of  remark. 

"Now,  Ellen,  what  is  it  that  I  am  to  account  to  you  for?"  he 
asked,  in  the  same  quiet  tone  which  he  had  before  used. 

She  colored  angrily,  but  she  was  determined  to  get  at  the 
bottom  of  the  matter. 

"I  have  heard  strange  rumors  to-night,"  she  remarked.  "I 
am  told  that  Stella  has  become  an  authoress — that  she  is  very 
popular,  as  well  as  her  book,  and  I  want  to  know  what  it 
means.  A  year  ago  you  were  both  dependents  upon  my  bounty; 
now  1  find  you  sailing  about,  like  a  couple  of  meteors,  among 
the  other  shining  lights  of  society.  I  want  an  explanation  of 
the  cause  of  this  change. " 

/'Certainly,  Ellen;  since  you  desire  it,  I  will  explain  with 
pleasure.  We  left  your  house  last  October,  as  you  doubtless 
will  remember,  and  took  up  our  abode  in  New  York  city.  Star 
entered  the  Normal  College  at  once,  and  by  assiduous  applica 
tion  to  her  studies,  succeeded  in  completing  the  course,  and 
graduated  in  June,  since  when  we  have  been  trying  to  get  all 
the  enjoyment  out  of  life  that  we  could.  You  have  heard 
rightly,  Ellen ;  she  did  write  that  popular  little  book,  '  Chats- 
worth's  Pride,'  and  it  is  a  source  of  pride  to  me  that  I  have  the 
honor  of  introducing  in  society  its  popular  author  as  my  ward 
and  heiress " 

"Your  heir  ess  T  Mrs.  Richards  cried,  growing  pale. 


DEFEATED.  275 

"Yes;  Miss  Gladstone  is  named  as  such  in  my  will,  which 
is  now  in  the  hands  of  my  lawyer,"  the  old  gentleman  replied, 
quietly. 

His  niece  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  blank  dismay. 
She  had  feared*  she  should  hear  something  of  the  kind,  but  it 
was  none  the  less  a  shock  to  her  when  it  came. 

"Your  heiress — heiress  to  what?"  she  demanded,  sharply. 

"To  the  whole  of  my  fortune,  madam." 

"Your  fortune !"  she  sneered,  but  her  voice  was  hoarse  from 
passion  and  baffled  hopes.  "A  year  ago  it  was — beggary/" 

Mr.  Rosevelt  smiled  serenely. 

"Apparently,  yes,"  he  answered.  "But  I  was  then,  what  I 
am  now — a  millionaire.  The  mistake  of  your  life-time  was 
made  then,  Ellen ;  for  if  you  had  cordially  received  the  feeble 
old  man  who  came  to  your  house  in  such  a  forlorn  condition; 
if  you  had  given  him  kindness  and  sympathy,  such  as  you  were 
wont  to  do  when  he  was  rich  and  prosperous ;  if  you  had  shown 
him  something  of  love  and  tenderness,  instead  of  coldness  and 
contempt,  making  him  feel  that  he  was  a  burden  and  an  in 
truder,  you  would  have  had  the  bulk  of  my  fortune,  for  your 
brother  had  already  forfeited  his  share.  I  thought  that  my  final 
return  to  this  country  would  give  me  a  good  opportunity  to  test 
your  and  Henry's  sincerity,  and  I  resolved  to  do  so.  I  went  to 
him  as  a  poor  man  ;  I  was  received  coldly,  and  made  as  uncom 
fortable  as  it  was  possible  for  any  one  to  be  made.  Then  I  said 
to  myself,  '  Ellen's  womanly  heart  will  prompt  her  to  be  kind 
to  me,  if  not  for  my  own  sake,  for  her  father's, '  and  so  I  came 
to  you  also  in  the  guise  of  poverty." 

"It  was  mean — it  was  dishonorable  to  take  advantage  of  me 
in  that  way,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  with  white,  quivering  lips. 

"Not  at  all.  I  wanted  to  know  you  as  you  were,  not  what 
you  pretended  to  be.  I  do  not  need  to  tell  you  the  resul/  of 
my  plan ;  we  all  know  it  but  too  well.  No  one  gave  me  a 
word  of  sympathy  or  kindness  save  this  dear  girl" — he  laid  his 


176  DEFEATED. 

hand  tenderly  on  Star's  shoulder — "who  did  her  utmost  to 
make  the  old  man  forget  as  far  as  was  possible  his  bitter  dis 
appointment,  and  who  had  already  earned  his  love  and  gratitude 
by  saving  his  life,  almost  at  the  sacrifice  of  her  own,  during 
that  terrible  voyage  across  the  Atlantic.  She  has  been  like  a 
sunbeam  to  me  from  the  first ;  and  when  I  saw  how  unkind  you 
all  were  to  her  also — how  you  were  betraying  your  trust  and 
breaking  your  promise  to  her  dying  father — I  resolved  that  she 
should  become  my  especial  care  for  the  future. 

"  I  do  not  need  to  recall  to  your  memory  the  last  night  that 
we  spent  in  your  house  in  Yonkers.  It  must  be  as  fresh  to 
you  as  it  is  to  me.  You  taunted  us  both  with  our  poverty 
and  dependence.  You  drove  her  to  desperation  by  your  unjust 
accusations  and  your  heartless  language.  She  could  not  endure 
that  kind  of  a  life  any  longer,  and  she  knew  that  I  also  was 
anything  but  happy ;  so  she  came  to  me,  told  me  the  secret  of 
her  success  as  an  author,  and  of  the  income  which  her  book 
bade  fair  to  bring  her,  and  begged  of  me  to  go  with  her  to 
share  her  substance,  asking  in  return  only  the  comfort  of  con 
genial  companionship  and  the  protection  which  my  presence 
would  give  her.  I  was  sorely  tempted,  as  I  have  told  her,  to 
confess  the  part  I  had  been  playing,  and  proclaim  her  my 
heiress  on  the  spot.  But  I  thought,  considering  all  things,  it 
would  be  better  to  wait  until  she  was  through  with  school, 
while  I  wanted  to  study  her  a  little  more  closely  before  com 
mitting  my  all  to  her.  She  has  stood  the  test  most  nobly.  She 
has  been  the  light  of  our  home.  She  has  labored  early  and 
late  to  minister  to  my  comfort  and  happiness,  and  now  she  is 
going  to  reap  her  reward.  Everything  that  I  can  do  for  her  to 
make  her  life  bright,  I  shall  do  while  I  live,  and  when  I  am 
gone,  she  will  have  the  fortune  which,  under  different  circum 
stances,  would  have  been  mostly  yours." 

Mrs.  Richards  was  pallid  with  anger,  mortification,  and  bittel 
disappointment  when  Mr.  Rosevelt  concluded. 


DEFEATED.  277 

It  was  a  terrible  blow  to  her  to  lose  this  great  fortune,  and 
remorse  for  her  heartless  treatment  of  her  uncle  was  gnawing 
keenly  at  her  heart-strings. 

Mr.  Richards  had  met  with  heavy  losses  in  his  business  of 
late,  and  it  was  only  by  straining  every  nerve,  calculating,  and 
contriving,  that  she  and  Josephine  had  been  able  to  come  to 
Newport  at  all  that  season,  and  it  was  simply  maddening  to 
think  that  Star,  whom  she  had  so  disliked  from  the  first,  should 
have  won,  by  little  acts  of  kindness,  what  she  would  have  spared 
no  pains  to  secure  had  she  once  suspected  the  truth. 

"Well,  miss,  you  have  played  your  cards  very  cleverly,  haven't 
you?"  she  finally  found  breath  to  ejaculate,  and  turning  with 
blazing  eyes  upon  the  fair  girl  who,  all  unwittingly,  had  usurped 
her  place  in  her  uncle's  affection  and  will. 

Mr.  Rosevelt's  face  grew  stern. 

"  She  certainly  has,  Ellen,"  he  said,  before  Star  could  speak, 
even  had  she  wished  to  do  so,  "especially  as  she  could  not,  by 
any  means,  have  known  that  there  was  anything  worth  winning 
by  her  acts  of  devotion  and  self-denial.  And  now  let  me  tell 
you,  that  true  kindness  and  sympathy  will  always  win,  where 
arrogance  and  pride  will  only  gain  contempt,  and  lead  to  dis 
appointment  and  regret" 

' '  Uncle  Jacob,  you  cannot  mean  what  you  have  said.  Surely 
you  will  not  discard  those  of  your  own  blood,  your  kin,  for  the 
offspring  of  a  stranger  1"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  appealingly. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  looked  down  at  Star  with  a  tender,  tremulous 
smile. 

"The  offspring  of  a  stranger  1"  he  repeated,  softly;  then 
added :  "  Ellen,  there  is  a  stronger  bond  uniting  this  dear  child 
to  me  than  ever  bound  me  to  either  of  my  brother's  children." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  cried  his  niece,  in  a  startled  tone. 
•  Surely,  at  your  age,  you  do  not  contemplate " 

Mr.  Rosevelt  stopped  her  with  a  motion  of  his  hand  before 
she  could  complete  her  sentence. 


S78 


DEFEATED. 


"No;  you  are  wide  of  the  mark;  although  I  am  not  sut 
prised  that  a  designing  woman  like  yourself  should  jump  at 
such  an  absurd  conclusion.  But,  lest  yau  should  wound  her  bj 
your  foolish  insinuations,  I  will  tell  you  that  Star  is  the  grand 
daughter  of  the  only  woman  whom  I  ever  loved ;  and,  there 
fore,  you  perceive  that  I  had  additional  cause  to  be  displeased 
with  you  on  account  of  your  unkindness  to  her. " 

"Really,  Mr.  Rosevelt,  you  have  more  of  sentiment  in  you; 
composition  than  I  gave  you  credit  for.  There  was  a  love 
passage,  then,  in  the  old  bachelor's  life!"  sneered  Mrs.  Richards 
while  an  angry  flush  mounted  to  her  brow. 

Then,  with  more  bitterness  than  she  had  yet  betrayed,  shf 
continued,  with  a  look  at  Star : 

"I  can  congratulate  Miss  Gladstone  upon  being  more  sue 
cessful  in  wheedling  you  out  of  your  fortune  than  she  was  ir 
her  maneuvers  to  become  Lady  Carrol." 

This  was  a  cruel  thrust,  and  wholly  unexpected  on  the  part 
of  either  Mr.  Rosevelt  or  Star. 

A  shiver  of  agony  ran  through  every  nerve  of  her  body  at  thi? 
rough  probing  of  the  still  unhealed  wound,  and  a  painful  crim 
son  shot  over  her  beautiful  face. 

But  it  quickly  suBsided,  leaving  only  the  bright  spots  on  her 
cheeks. 

She  arose  from  the  chair  where  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  placed  her, 
drew  herself  up  proudly,  her  eyes  gleaming  as  bright  as  the 
diamonds  in  her  ears,  and,  entirely  ignoring  the  coarse  woman's 
malicious  thrust,  she  looked  up  at  her  companion,  and  said,  in 
her  clearest,  sweetest  tones ; 

"Uncle  Jacob,  I  believe  we  were  going  out  to  see  the  illu 
mination." 

"True,  child,  true,"  he  said,  taking  her  white-gloved  hand 
and  laying  it  upon  his  arm,  while  he  cast  a  dark  look  upon 
his  niece  for  her  cowardly  attack.  "Come,  we  will  go  at 
once ;"  and  with  a  formal  inclination  to  Mrs.  Richards  and  her 


RESCUED    FROM   A    HORRIBLE    FATE. 


279 


daughter,  but  with  an  angry  gleam  in  his  eyes,  he  led  Star 
from  the  room,  shutting  the  door,  with  no  gentle  sound,  after 
them. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  anything  like  it!"  Mrs.  Richards  said, 
hopelessly,  after  they  had  gone. 

' '  No,  indeed  ;  and  it  is  just  as  you  suspected — he  was  playing 
poverty  all  the  time,"  Josephine  answered. 

"Oh,  if  I  could  only  have  known  it!"  groaned  her  mother, 
to  whom  the  calamity  appeared  to  grow  more  appalling  every 
moment. 

"  He  makes  a  perfect  fool  of  himself  over  that  girl,"  snapped 
Josephine,  ill-naturedly.  "Just  think  of  the  amount  of  money 
it  must  have  cost  to  deck  her  out  to-night. " 

"  I  am  going  back  to  our  hotel,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  rising, 
with  a  desperate  air.  ' '  I  am  not  going  to  stay  here  to  see  her 
play  the  fine  lady  and  crow  over  us. " 

"I'm  ready  to  go.  I've  had  enough  of  this  thing,  and  I 

never  did  like  the House  very  well,  anyway, "  replied  her 

daughter,  in  no  amiable  tones. 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL 

RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE. 

If  Mrs.  Richards  had  conducted  herself  according  to  her  own 
inclination,  she  would  have  left  Newport  at  once.  But  she  was 
unwilling  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  or  Star  should  think  that  she  had 
run  away  from  them,  or  that  she  was  heart-broken  over  the  dis 
closures  which  her  uncle  had  made  to  her. 

Besides,  Newport  was  full  of  wealthy  and  fashionable  people, 


a8o  RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE. 

and  among  them  several  eligible  young  gentlemen,  whose  ac 
quaintance,  for  Josephine's  sake,  she  was  desirous  of  cultivating ; 
and  surely  she  was  not  going  to  sacrifice  all  these  advantages, 
and  leave  the  field  clear  for  Star  to  win  even  greater  victories. 

No ;  she  would  stay,  and  she  resolved  she  would  make  things 
just  as  uncomfortable  for  the  young  girl  as  possible,  while  Jose 
phine  should  be  made  to  shine  with  all  the  splendor  of  which 
their  means,  and  Mr.  Richards'  credit,  were  capable. 

But  all  the  proud  woman's  efforts  were  of  no-  avail,  for  our 
fair  heroine  had  created  a  sensation  which  threatened  to  turn 
the  heads  and  lead  captive  the  hearts  of  every  unmarried  man, 
at  least,  in  Newport 

A  week  passed  quickly  by,  and  then  Grace  Meredith  and  her 
brother  arrived  at  the  watering-place,  and  immediately  attached 
themselves  to  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star  by  mutual  consent;  and 
many  envious  looks  were  bestowed  upon  the  dark,  handsome 
stranger,  who  appeared  to  assume  the  right  of  acting  as  escort 
to  the  two  beautiful  girls  upon  every  occasion. 

But  Star,  whenever  she  appeared  in  company,  laughed, 
chatted,  and  danced  with  all  that  was  possible  of  her  admirers, 
dispensing  her  smiles  and  favors  with  an  impartiality  that  was 
exasperating  not  only  to  her  victims — if  such  they  could  be 
called  who  were  each  anxious  to  win  the  prize — but  also  to  the 
many  forlorn  damsels  who  were  all  sighing  for  the  attentions 
she  was  receiving  and  the  honors  she  was  usurping. 

One  day,  about  a  week  after  the  arrival  of  the  Merediths,  an 
excursion  was  arranged  to  visit  a  point  on  Narragansett  Bay, 
and  it  was  to  be  a  picnic  after  the  good  old-fashioned  style  of 
carrying  each  his  own  basket  and  sharing  with  his  neighbor. 

A  boat  had  been  chartered  to  take  the  party  down  the  bay  in 
the  morning  and  return  at  night  by  moonlight. 

Ralph  Meredith  and  two  or  three  of  his  friends  were  the 
originators  of  the  affair,  and  the  invitations  were  very  select, 
and  limited  to  one  hundred. 


RESCUED    FROM   A    HORRIBLE    FATE.  2gv 

As  it  happened,  Mrs.  Richards  and  Josephine,  with  quite  * 
number  of  others  from  their  hotel,  were  included  in  this  party. 

The  morning  was  delightful,  and  the  spirits  of  the  whole 
company  at  their  highest  point,  while  the  jaunty,  white-winged 
boat,  with  its  inspiriting  band  of  music  and  its  gayly  dressed 
picnickers,  seemed  like  a  little  floating  world  devoted  entirely 
to  pleasure,  as  indeed  it  was. 

Josephine  Richards  had  arrayed  herself  in  a  very  elaborate 
costume  for  the  occasion,  determined  that  Star,  who  she  knew 
was  to  be  one  of  the  company,  should  not  outshine  her. 

It  fitted  her  like  a  glove,  and  was  vastly  becoming ;  she  never 
had  looked  more  brilliant  in  her  life,  but  she  was  too  fussy  for 
a  picnic,  and  looked  as  if  she  was  decked  out  for  a  fashionable 
reception  rather  than  for  a  day  in  the* woods. 

In  direct  contrast  to  all  this  "fuss  and  feathers,"  was  Star,  in 
a  simple  suit  of  white  lawn,  a  belt  of  blue,  of  her  eyes'  own 
hue,  girdling  her  slender  waist ;  a  dainty,  broad-brimmed  hat, 
set  in  a  jaunty  way  upon  her  golden  head,  and  a  little  cluster  of 
blue-fringed  gentians  nestling  beneath  her  beautifully  rounded 
chin. 

The  very  simplicity  of  her  attire  made  her  conspicuous,  and 
fashionable  maidens,  who  had  groaned  in  spirit  over  what  they 
should  wear  and  how  they  should  wear  it,  glared  at  her  with 
envious  eyes. 

Ralph  Meredith  had  arranged  a  cozy  little  nook  on  the  boat 
for  Star  and  his  sister,  by  taking  some  camp-chairs  along  and 
cushioning  them  with  handsome  rugs,  with  a  couple  of  has 
socks  for  their  feet,  while  a  sail  had  been  adjusted  as  an  awning 
to  screen  them  from  the  hot  sun. 

But  when,  after  they  were  well  on  their  way,  he  conducted 
them  thither,  he  found  to  his  chagrin  that  this  snug  corner, 
upon  which  he  had  spent  so  much  care,  had  been  appropriated 
by  Mrs.  Richards  and  her  brilliant  daughter,  who  were  holding 
a  little  court  by  themselves. 


282  RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE. 

"Never  mind,"  Star  whispered;  "I  do  not  care  to  sit  just 
now,  and  I  particularly  wish  not  to  disturb  them." 

"But  /  particularly  wished  you  and  Grace  to  have  a  com 
fortable  place  where  you  could  enjoy  your  sail,"  he  returned, 
indignantly. 

"I  know,  and  you  were  very  kind  and  thoughtful;  but  I 
shall  feel  better  to  leave  them  to  get  what  enjoyment  they  can 
from  occupying  seats  which  they  must  know  were  intended  for 
others.  What  do  you  say,  Grace?"  Star  asked,  appealing  to 
Miss  Meredith. 

"  I  do  not  see  but  what  we  shall  be  obliged  to  submit,  since 
I  do  not  wish  to  be  rude  to  any  of  our  party.  But  I  must  say 
I  think  they  are  very  cool." 

They  moved  away  to  another  portion  of  the  boat,  but  when, 
an  hour  later,  they  saw  the  interlopers  promenading  the  deck, 
they  quietly  slipped  into  the  vacated  seats,  and  settled  them 
selves  for  the  remainder  of  the  sail. 

Here  they  were  soon  chatting  in  the  most  sociable  manner, 
and  were  right  in  the  midst  of  a  most  interesting  discussion 
regarding  their  toilet  for  an  approaching  reception,  when  a  cold 
Voice  broke  out  upon  them,  saying : 

"Miss  Gladstone,  may  I  trouble  you  to  vacate  our  chairs?" 

Star  started  and  flushed.  Too  well  she  knew  those  incisive 
tones. 

But  she  quickly  recovered  herself,  however,  and  looking  up 
at  Mrs.  Richards,  for  it  was  she  who  had  spoken,  said  : 

"Your  chairs?     Are  they  yours?" 

"Certainly;  you  have  already  seen  us  occupying  them,  I  be 
lieve,"  the  woman  responded,  haughtily. 

Star's  face  began  to  dimple  with  amusement,  for  she  knew 
well  enough  that  this  demand  was  only  made  to  annoy  her  and 
make  her  unpleasantly  conspicuous,  and  she  was  determined  to 
turn  the  tables  to  their  own  mortification ;  for  they  could  not 


RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE.  283 

fail  to  learn  when  they  landed  to  whom  the  chairs  and  other 
comforts  belonged. 

She  made  a  motion  to  Grace,  who,  she  saw,  was  bristling 
with  indignation,  to  keep  silent ;  then  she  arose,  bowing  with 
graceful  politeness  to  Mrs.  Richards  and  her  daughter,  though 
her  eyes  were  gleaming  with  suppressed  laughter. 

"  I  beg  pardon  if  I  have  been  occupying  what  does  not  right 
fully  belong  to  me,  and  I  cheerfully  resign  my  chair  to  your 
prior  claim. " 

Josephine  flushed,  for  she  saw  that  it  was  all  Star  could  do 
to  restrain  her  merriment,  though  what  should  have  caused  it 
she  could  not  understand ;  while  she  looked  so  pretty  and  was 
so  lady-like,  it  made  her  angry. 

"I'm  sure,"  she  began,  hotly,  and  raising  her  voice  so  that 
others  could  hear  her,  "I  don't  see  what  you're  so  amused 
over,  Stella  Gladstone ;  and  it  seems  to  me  that  you're  putting 
on  altogether  too  many  airs  for  a  girl  who  used  to  perform  the 
services  of  a  chambermaid  in  our  house." 

For  a  moment  Star  stood  as  if  dumfounded  ;  then  she  lifted 
her  bright  head  a  trifle,  as  if  in  conscious  superiority,  gave 
Miss  Richards  a  cool  stare  of  surprise,  and  turned  away  with 
out  a  word.  , 

Not  so  Miss  Meredith,  however. 

She  kept  her  seat  with  the  utmost  composure,  watching  this 
little  scene  with  both  interest  and  amusement  until  Josephine 
so  tauntingly  insulted  her  friend. 

Then  she,  too,  arose,  drawing  her  tall  form  to  its  fullest 
height. 

"I  cannot  understand,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  of  scorn,  "why 
you  should  so  maliciously  insult  Miss  Gladstone;  but  allow 
me  to  say  for  your  enlightenment,  that  these  chairs,  rugs,  and 
so  forth,  belong  to  my  brother,  Mr.  Ralph  Meredith,  and  he 
arranged  them  here  especially  for  Miss  Gladstone's  and  my 
comfort  However,  I  will  emulate  her  example,  and  resign 


284         RESCUED  FROM  A  HORRIBLE  FATE. 

my  right  to  ladies  who  have  proved  themselves  so  superior 
in  point  of  refinement  and  politeness." 

Having  uttered  this  cutting  sarcasm,  Miss  Meredith 
bowed  mockingly  and  walked  away  to  rejoin  her  friend, 
leaving  those  haughty  and  overbearing  women  about  as 
chagrined  and  crestfallen  as  it  is  possible  for  two  people 
to  feel. 

The  gay  company  reached  their  destination  after  a  de 
lightful  sail  of  two  hours. 

It  was  a  lovely  grove  upon  the  shore  of  the  bay,  which 
people  were  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  for  picnics  of  this 
sort,  and  the  party  wandered  about  in  groups  for  another 
two  hours,  exploring  the  beauties  and  attractions  around 
them. 

At  two  o'clock  everybody  gathered  to  dine  in  a  place 
which  had  been  prepared  for  that  purpose ;  the  tables  were 
spread  with  the  contents  of  the  numerous  baskets,  which 
contained  every  delicacy  which  the  season  afforded,  and 
the  gay  company,  making  the  woods  resonant  with  laugh 
ter  and  merriment,  sat  down  to  their  rural  meal. 

It  was  four  in  the  afternoon  before  this  important  part 
in  the  day's  programme  was  concluded,  and  then  the  com 
pany  scattered,  some  to  lounge  about  and  rest,  others  to 
stroll  into  the  deep,  inviting  shadows  of  the  woods. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star,  Miss  Meredith  and  her  brother, 
with  two  or  three  others,  "wandered  away  by  themselves, 
and  finally  sat  down  beneath  a  wide-spreading  tree  for  a 
quiet  chat. 

While  they  sat  there,  Star  got  up  quietly  and  slipped 
out  of  sight,  some  spirit  of  restlessness  possessing  her  to 
get  away  for  a  ramble  still  farther  into  the  far-reaching 
\voods. 

She  had  walked  some  distance,  when  she  heard  voices, 
and  soon  saw  a  gentleman  and  a  lad,  both  with  guns  over 
their  shoulders,  approaching  her,  and  looking  heated  and 
anxious. 

They  saluted  her  courteously,  and  then  the  gentleman 
raid,  abruptly: 

"Have  you  seen  anythingof  a  small,  white  Spitz  dog,  miss  ? 


RESCUED    FROM   A    HORRIBLE    FATE.  285 

It  is  a  pretty  little  creature,  wearing  a  silver  collar  around  his 
neck,  and  tiny  blue  bows  tied  in  his  ears." 

"  No,"  Star  answered  ;   "I  have  seen  no  dog  to-day." 

' '  We  are  in  search  of  it  because  we  are  afraid  it  has  run 
mad,"  the  stranger  continued,  peering  about  with  a  troubled 
countenance.  "It  has  not  been  well  for  several  days,  and  this 
morning  showed  unmistakable  signs  of  hydrophobia.  It  escaped 
confinement  from  the  cottage,  a  mile  or  so  from  here,  and  ran 
toward  these  woods  about  an  hour  ago. " 

They  passed,on,  and  Star  thought  it  would  be  best  for  her 
to  go  back  to  her  friends,  and  therefore  turned  to  retrace 
her  steps. 

She  had  only  accomplished  about  half  of  the  distance,  when 
she  heard  a  clear,  musical  laugh  ring  out  from  among  the 
shrubbery  on  the  right  of  the  path. 

Thinking  it  must  be  some  of  her  party,  she  stepped  forward 
to  warn  them  of  their  danger.  She  parted  the  branches  with 
her  hands  and  looked  through. 

What  was  her  horror  to  see  Josephine  Richards  sitting  at  the 
foot  of  a  tree,  her  hat  tossed  upon  the  ground  beside  her,  and 
holding  in  her  lap  the  little  mad  dog  against  which  she  had  just 
been  warned. 

It  was  a  beautiful  little  creature,  and  had  evidently  been 
made  a  pet  and  plaything.  It  had  lovely  brown  eyes,  looking 
out  from  beneath  its  shaggy  brows;  its  coat  was  as  white  as 
snow,  while  around  its  neck  there  glistened  the  silver  collar, 
and  in  its  pretty  ears  were  the  tiny  blue  bows  of  which  she  had 
been  told. 

Miss  Richards  evidently  had  just  coaxed  the  little  pet  into 
her  lap,  and  was  playing  with  it  without  a  suspicion  of  the  ter 
rible  danger  that  she  was  in,  while  just  for  that  moment  it 
showed  no  signs  of  the  madness  which  possessed  it. 

Star's  face  was  as  white  as  her  spotless  dress  as  she  took  in 


286  RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE. 

the  dreadful  situation ;  then  she  stepped  quickly  forward  and 
said,  in  clear  but  authoritative  tones  : 

"Miss  Richards,  put  that  dog  down  as  quietly  as  you  can, 
and  come  away  with  me  instantly,  for  I  have  just  been  told  that 
it  is  mad. " 

Scarcely  were  the  words  uttered,  when  the  little  creature 
snapped  at  the  hand  raised  to  caress  it,  and,  with  a  scream  of 
fright,  Josephine  sprang  to  her  feet  and  turned  to  fly. 

But  the  act  aroused  all  the  fury  of  the  maddened  animal,  and 
he  seized  hold  of  her  skirts,  biting  and  tearing  them  in  the 
most  furious  manner,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  and  howling 
frightfully  in  its  sudden  paroxysm  of  frenzy. 

"Save  me !  save  me  !"  Josephine  screamed,  and  flying  toward 
Star  for  protection. 

There  was  not  a  thought  of  personal  danger  in  the  fair  young 
girl's  heart — not  a  thought  of  enmity,  or  of  malice  or  evil ;  all 
her  mind  was  concentrated  upon  one  thing — how  best  to  save 
her  companion  from  this  terrible  danger  and  from  a  horrible 
death. 

"Stand  still !"  she  commanded,  in  steady,  almost  stern  tones. 
"  Let  him  bite  at  your  clothes  all  he  chooses,  but  do  not  allow 
him  to  get  at  your  feet ;  if  you  run,  he  will  seize  them  and  bite 
right  through  your  boot.  Have  you  courage  to  stand  where 
you  are  ior  a  moment?  I  will  go  behind  him  and  slip  the  end 
of  my  parasol  through  his  collar  and  pin  him  to  the  ground ; 
then  you  can  go  and  call  help  for  me. " 

She  spoke  calmly  but  rapidly,  and  Josephine  saw  at  once  how 
much  wisdom  there  was  in  her  plan. 

"Yes,  yes;  I  will  do  anything,"  she  said,  hysterically;  "but 
be  quick,  for  I  cannot  bear  this  much  longer;  I  shall  faint 
dead  away. " 

"If  you  faint,  "Star  returned,  in  an  awful  voice,  "you  are 
lost !  There  1  he  has  entangled  himself  in  that  ruffle  which  he 


RESCUED    FROM    A    HORRIBLE    FATE.  287 

has  torn  from  your  dress.  Be  still  just  a  moment  longer,  and 
I  will  save  you  if  I  can. " 

Watching  her  opportunity,  she  stole  softly  behind  the  strug 
gling  animal,  and,  by  a  dextrous  movement,  slipped  the  end 
of  her  parasol,  which  was  quite  a  stout  one,  into  his  collar, 
and  then,  with  all  her  strength,  drove  it  into  the  ground  and 
held  it  there,  though  the  creature  struggled  furiously  to  release 
himself. 

Her  face  had  not  an  atom  of  color  in  it,  but  her  lips  did  not 
falter  as  she  said  to  the  horror-stricken  girl  watching  her : 

"Go  now  quickly  and  call  help  for  me,  for,  small  as  he  is,  I 
cannot  hold  him  long." 

Josephine  did  not  need  a  second  bidding,  but  went  shrieking 
back  to  the  company  in  a  way  to  arouse  the  dead  almost 

She  had  not  been  gone  two  minutes — though  those  two 
minutes  seemed  like  an  age  to  Star,  who  found  an  almost 
superhuman  strength  in  that  writhing,  twisting  thing  at  her 
feet — when  the  bushes  behind  her  parted  again,  and  the  same 
gentleman  who  had  met  and  warned  her  of  this  danger  sprang 
toward  her,  with  his  gun  cocked  and  aimed  at  the  dog. 

His  face  was  almost  as  colorless  as  her  own. 

"Can  you  hold  him  just  an  instant  longer? — will  you  dare 
hold  him  while  I  shoot  him?  I  will  not  harm  you  in  the  least," 
he  questioned,  in  rapid  tones. 

"Yes,  I  will  hold  him,"  she  said,  resolutely.  "  If  I  let  him 
loose  now,  he  will  surely  bite  somebody." 

Although  she  spoke  so  steadily  and  with  so  much  fortitude, 
she  looked  like  some  beautiful  spirit  from  another  world,  and 
the  gentleman  knew  he  must  do  what  he  had  to  dc  quickly,  or 
it  would  be  too  late. 

There  was  an  instant  of  silence,  then  a  quick,  sharp  report 
rang  through  the  woods,  and  the  little  danger-fiend  lay  bleeding 
and  dead  at  her  feet 

All  peril  was  past 


288  JOSEPHINE'S    INGRATITUDE. 

Star  had  saved  an  enemy  from  a  horrible  fate — she  had  done 
a  heroic  deed ;  but  the  tension  on  her  own  nerves  gave  way 
when  it  was  over.  She  swayed,  tottered,  and  would  have  fallen 
to  the  ground,  but  another  figure  sprang  through  the  bushes  to 
her  side,  and  her  fainting  form  was  received  into  the  strong 
of  Ralph  Meredith. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

JOSEPHINE'S  INGRATITUDE. 

Confusion  reigned  during  the  next  half  hour  among  the 
company  who  had  hitherto  been  so  gay.  Josephine  Richards 
had  rushed  into  their  midst,  startling  everybody  out  of  their 
senses  by  shrieking  out : 

"Go  to  Miss  Gladstone!     A  mad  dog!  a  mad  dog!" 

It  was  all  that  she  could  say,  for  she  immediately  after  sank 
down  helpless  in  a  violent  fit  of  hysterics,  while  the  women, 
with  white  faces,  huddled  together  in  fear  and  trembling,  and 
the  men,  with  horrified  eyes  and  quaking  hearts,  ran  hither  and 
thither  iu  search  of  Star. 

Then  there  had  come  that  quick,  sharp  report,  directing 
them  to  the  spot,  and  telling  them  that  all  danger  to  them  was 
past.  But  the  terrible  question  arose : 

"Was  Miss  Gladstone  safe?" 

Ralph  Meredith,  his  feet  winged  with  love  and  fear,  was, 
as  we  have  seen,  first  upon  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  and 
caught  her  frantically  to  his  heart  just  as  she  was  falling  to  the 
ground. 

"Is  she  bitten?"  he  cried,  in  a  voice  of  agony,  and  with 


JOSEPHINE'S  INGRATITUDE.  489 

ashen  lips,  to  the  stranger,  who  stood,  gun  in  hand,  over 
the  dead  dog. 

"No ;  she  has  not  even  a  scratch ;  she  has  merely  fainted 
from  fright,"  he  answered;  and  throwing  down  his  gun, 
he  took  a  long  pocket-flask  filled  with  brandy  from  his 
hunting-pouch,  and  approached  the  unconscious  girl. 

He  knelt  upon  the  ground  beside  her  and  poured  a  few 
drops  between  her  lips,  though  his  hands  trembled  violently 
from  the  terrfcle  excitement  and  anxiety  under  which  he 
had  been  laboring. 

"Go  for  some  water,"  he  said  to  his  son,  who,  having 
heard  the  report  of  his  father's  fowling-piece,  now  ap 
peared  upon  the  scene. 

He  darted  away  like  a  fawn,  and  was  back  in  less  than 
three  minutes  with  a  pitcherful,  which  he  had  seized  from 
the  camp,  while  a  frightened  crowd  followed  at  his  heels. 

But  it  was  a  long  time  before  Star  revived.  The  shock 
to  her  nervous  system  had  been  a  terrible  one,  and  nature 
seemed  loth  to  resume  her  sway  after  it.  But  at  the  end 
of  half  an  hour  her  chest  began  to  heave,  and  a  slight  tinge 
of  color  returned  to  her  lips. 

Ralph  Meredith,  who  hung  over  her  in  an  agony  of  sus 
pense  and  fear,  would  let  no  one  touch  her  or  come  near 
her,  save  his  sister  and  Mr.  Rosevelt ;  and  he  found  that 
it  required  all  the  strength  of  his  will  to  keep  him  from 
betraying  to  the  gaping  crowd  the  passionate  love  he  en 
tertained  for  the  senseless  girl. 

Finally,  to  everybody's  relief,  those  white  lids  were  un 
closed,  those  beautiful  eyes  looked  up,  and  a  long,  shudder 
ing  sigh  shook  her  whole  frame. 

"What  has  happened?"  she  questioned,  with  a  vacant 
look. 

"You  are  faint,  dear.  Drink  this  and  you  will  be  bet 
ter,"  Grace  Meredith  said,  gently,  while  she  held  a  silver 
cup  to  her  lips. 


290  JOSEPfflNE^S    INGRATITUDE. 

She  swallowed  the  stimulus  mechanically,  and  then  began  to 
shiver,  as  if  from  the  cold. 

"I  remember,"  she  murmured,  all  the  color  fading  from  her 
face  again,  and  they  feared  another  season  of  unconsciousness 
would  follow. 

"  Is  he  dead?"  she  asked,  a  moment  after,  beginning  to  rally 
onse  more. 

"Yes;  he  was  killed  instantly,"  Ralph  Meredith  returned. 

"And  Josephine — Miss  Richards — is  she  safe?" 

Everybody  looked  surprised  at  this  query,  for  no  one  had 
had  any  idea  that  that  young  lady  had  been  in  any  danger 
until  now. 

"Yes;  Miss  Richards  is  safe,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  answered;  but 
a  frown  contracted  his  brow  as  he  began  to  understand  that  Star 
had  sacrificed  her  own  safety  and  endangered  her  own  life  to 
save  that  of  an  ungrateful  girl. 

No  one  had  been  able  to  gather  from  Josephine's  excited  and 
incoherent  account  anything  save  that  a  mad  dog  had  attacked 
Miss  Gladstone  in  the  woods.  She  said  not  a  word  of  how  the 
noble  girl  had  come  to  her  rescue,  warned  her  of  her  danger, 
and  then  put  into  execution  a  hazardous  plan  to  secure  her 
safety. 

There  was  not  an  atom  of  gratitude  in  her  heart  toward  Star 
for  having  done  this  heroic  deed — no  softening,  no  sense  of 
sorrow  or  repentance  for  her  own  unkindness  in  the  past,  or 
for  the  insult  which  she  had  only  that  day  offered  her ;  there 
was  only  a  sense  of  triumph  that  she  herself  was  safe,  no  matter 
how  or  at  whose  risk. 

When  they  came,  bringing  Star  back — for  she  was  still  too 
weak  to  walk — to  the  spot  where  they  had  all  gathered  so  gay 
and  thoughtless  that  morning,  there  was  a  look  of  sadness  and 
sympathy  in  every  countenance  save  those  of  Mrs.  Richards  and 
b*r  daughter,  who  stole  away  by  themselves,  jealous  of  the  in- 


JOSEPHINE  >S    INGRATITUDE,  2gi 

terest  and  concern  manifested  by  the  whole  company  for  the 
object  of  their  hatred. 

When  Star  found  that  Josephine  had  kept  the  facts  of  the 
encounter  with  the  mad  dog  to  herself,  simply  stating  that  Miss 
Gladstone  had  been  attacked  by  it,  she  also  appeared  very  reluc 
tant  to  converse  about  it,  and  as  the  subject  seemed  to  excite 
her,  no  one  felt  disposed  to  press  her  with  questions. 

The  gentleman  who  owned  the  dog  sent  to  his  home  for  his 
carriage  to  have  her  conveyed  to  the  steamer,  although  she  had 
smilingly  affirmed  that  she  should  be  "able  to  walk  with  the 
help  of  Uncle  Jacob's  arm." 

Upon  reaching  the  boat  they  improvised  a  couch  for  her  on 
deck,  as  she  objected  going  into  the  saloon,  and  by  resting 
quietly  during  the  two  hours'  sail,  she  seemed  almost  like  her 
self,  save  her  unusual  pallor,  when  the  vessel  touched  the  pier 
at  Newport 

A  carriage  was  here  procured,  and  she  was  driven,  with  Mr. 
Rosevelt,  Miss  Meredith,  and  her  brother,  to  her  hotel. 

Grace  insisted  upon  remaining  through  the  night  with  her. 

"You  are  not  fit  to  be  left  alone,  and — I  want  to  stay,"  she 
pleaded,  as  Star  hesitated  about  accepting  her  offer. 

So  the  two  young  girls  passed  the  night  together,  and  Star, 
growing  confidential,  and  feeling  that  some  explanation  regard 
ing  Josephine's  insulting  remarks  that  morning  was  due  her 
friend,  told  her  much  concerning  her  life,  and  how  it  had  hap 
pened  that  she  was  at  one  time  an  inmate  of  Mrs.  Richards' 
family ;  also  relating  the  events  that  had  transpired  since  she 
and  Mr.  Rosevelt  left  them,  and  how  she  had  rescued  Josephine 
from  the  mad  dog. 

Star  was  really  ill  from  nervous  prostration  the  next  day,  and 
obliged  to  keep  her  room  ;  but  Miss  Meredith  regaled  curious 
ears  with  the  whole  story  of  Josephine  Richards'  danger  and 
Star's  courageous  defense  of  her,  and  all  Newport  did  indeed 
"ring"  even  as  she  had  hoped. 


292  JOSEPHINE'S    INGRATITUDE. 

Enough  could  not  be  said  in  admiration  of  the  brave  girl, 
while  scorn  and  contempt  were  freely  expressed  for  the  re 
cipients  of  so  much  heroism  for  refusing  to  acknowledge  their 
indebtedness,  and  awarding  her  the  commendation  she  deserved. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  was  even  more  unnerved,  when  he  learned  the 
truth,  than  he  had  been  the  previous  day. 

He  came  to  her  room,  wan  and  haggard,  after  talking  with 
Miss  Meredith,  and  sank,  weak  and  trembling,  into  a  chair  at 
her  side. 

"My  child,  "he  said,  brokenly,  as  he  took  both  her  hands 
and  looked  them  carefully  over  with  tear-laden  eyes,  "are  you 
sure  you  did  not  get  a  scratch  anywhere  ?" 

"Quite  sure,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  replied,  reassuringly;  "the 
dog  did  not  touch  me  anywhere,  and  if  he  had,  I  had  a  pair 
of  stout  undressed  kid  gloves  on,  and  they  would  have  pro 
tected  me." 

"But  you  were  in  terrible  danger.  Suppose  you  had  not 
succeeded  in  pinning  him  down,  and  he  had  turned  upon 
you  ?"  he  said,  with  a  shudder. 

"I  did  not  think  of  that,"  Star  answered;  "but  if  I  had 
known  that  he  would  turn  upon  me,  I  believe  I  should  have 
tried  to  save  Josephine  just  the  same.  Somebody  was  in  danger 
of  being  bitten  even  if  she  escaped  unharmed,  and  I  felt  that  I 
must  strain  every  nerve  and  not  allow  him  to  get  among  the 
company.  The  dog  was  a  tiny  little  thing,"  she  went  on,  flush 
ing  and  becoming  excited  as  she  seemed  to  live  over  again  that 
dreadful  experience;  "but,  oh,  Uncle  Jacob,  he  was  terribly 
strong.  I  thought  once  that  I  should  have  to  let  him  go ;  I 
could  not  have  held  him  one  minute  longer;''  and  she  covered 
her  face  with  her  hands,  weeping  from  nervousness. 

"We  must  not  talk  about  it  any  more ;  it  excites  you,"  Mr. 
Rosevelt  said,  soothingly;  "but  the  world  would  have  been 
very  dark  for  me  if  anything  had  happened  to  you  ;  and — I  am 
bitter  enough  to  feel  that  Josephine  Richards'  safety  is  dearly 


JOSEPHINE'S    INGRATITUDE.  2g^ 

bought,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  nothing  more  than  your  nerves 
and  strength,"  he  concluded,  in  a  stern  tone. 

Star  reached  out  one  white  hand  and  laid  it  gently  upon  his, 
saying,  with  grave  sweetness,  while  she  wiped  away  her  tears  : 

' '  Uncle  Jacob,  let  us  not  judge  too  harshly  nor  be  unfor 
giving.  'Charity,'  you  know,  'suffereth  long  and  is  kind,  and 
never  faileth. '  Surely  you  would  not  have  had  me  run  away 
like  a  coward,  and  leave  her  sitting  there  playing  with  that  mad 
creature,  knowing  that  she  was  in  such  fearful  danger?" 

"N-o,"  he  admitted,  reluctantly. 

"Just  think,"  Star  went  on;  "she  had  him  in  her  lap,  and 
I  did  not  speak  one  instant  too  soon,  for  hardly  had  I  told  her 
that  he  was  mad,  when  he  snapped  at  her.  No ;  I  am  glad 
that  I  did  what  was  right,  and  Josephine  Richards'  life  was 
every  bit  as  precious  to  me  yesterday  as  that  of  any  one  else, 
and  I  should  have  done  just  the  same  had  she  been  an  enemy 
a  hundred-fold  more  than  she  is.  She  has  endeavored  to  injure 
me,  I  know,  in  every  possible  way,  and,  in  all  the  ordinary 
walks  of  life,  I  should  let  her  alone.  Her  spite  and  ill-will, 
however  bitter,  cannot  do  me  any  real  harm,  although  they  may 
annoy  me  exceedingly,  and  doubtless  will,  in  the  end,  rebound 
upon  herself;  but  I  am  glad  that  I  did  not  falter  yesterday.  I 
did  what  I  could  with  the  kindest  of  motives;  and  if  she  does 
not  feel  that  she  owes  me  anything,  it  cannot  alter  the  fact  that 
I  did  my  duty. " 

Mr.  Rosevelt  regarded  her  with  an  almost  worshipful  look. 

"That  good  book,  which  you  love  so  well,  says  that  'a  little 
child  shall  lead  them  ;'  and  truly,  Star,  you  in  your  youth 
shame  me  in  my  maturer  years  by  your  Christian  spirit,"  he 
said,  in  an  humble  tone. 

Star  did  not  reply,  but  she  looked  very  happy. 

"Surely  Uncle  Jacob  must  have  been  reading  some  in  'that 
g-ood  book,'  to  quote  thus  from  it. "she  thought,  while  his 
remark  about  a  Christian  spirit  told  that  he  was  thinking  upon 


294 


/    LOVE    HIM    STILL.1 


upon  the  more  serious  questions  of  life — all  of  which  was  very 
encouraging  to  her  who  had  so  often  been  wounded  by  his 
bitterness  and  skepticism. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

"I     LOVE     HIM     STILL." 

The  first  of  the  week  following  the  events  just  related, 
Mrs.  Richards  and  her  daughter  were  suddenly  "recalled  to 
Brooklyn. " 

Newport  had  become,  as  Miss  Meredith  had  prophesied, 
"too  hot  for  them." 

They  were  gone  almost  before  any  one  knew  that  they  con 
templated  going;  and,  it  must  be  confessed,  that  it  was  a  great 
relief  to  both  Star  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  when  they  learned  of 
their  flitting,  and  knew  they  would  be  obliged  to  meet  them 
no  more. 

Star  had  recovered  her  usual  health  and  strength,  but  she 
had  suffered  such  a  shock  that  she  could  not  meet  or  see  a  dog 
without  a  feeling  of  fear  and  an  almost  overpowering  weakness, 
and  she  never  entirely  outgrew  this  feeling  during  her  life. 

She  had  seemed  unusually  thoughtful,  too,  since  the  event. 
Most  people,  noticing  it,  thought  it  but  natural,  considering 
the  fearful  danger  she  had  been  in,  but  Star  had  a  very  different 
reason  for  it. 

The  moment  she  had  returned  to  consciousness  and  found 
herself  in  Ralph  Meredith's  arms,  seen  his  agonized  looks, 
heard  his  tones  of  fear,  realized  the  passionate,  though  trem 
bling  clasp  in  which  she  was  held,  the  terrible  throbbings  of 


"7    LOVE    HIM    STILL." 


295 


his  heart  as  she  lay  against  it,  and  noted  the  quiver  of  his  pale 
lips  as  he  hung  over  her  and  begged  her  to  assure  him  that  she 
was  unharmed,  she  knew  that  he  was  no  longer  what  she  had 
hitherto  regarded  him — merely  a  kind  and  congenial  friend. 

Those  signs  she  had  interpreted  in  a  way  to  make  her  feel 
very  grave  and  deeply  troubled. 

She  felt  that  he  regarded  her  with  feelings  which  she  knew  it 
would  be  impossible  for  her  ever  to  return,  and  she  feared  he 
was  cherishing  hopes  which,  if  not  "nipped  in  the  bud,"  might 
ruin  his  whole  life. 

His  every  look  and  act  since  that  day  had  told  her  as  plainly 
as  words  could  have  done  that  he  loved  her,  and  she  was  con 
stantly  trying  to  think  of  some  way  to  make  him  discover  how 
hopeless  his  passion  was  without  bringing  matters  to  a  crisis. 

But  this  was  not  to  be. 

One  evening  they  all  went  for  a  walk  in  the  park,  where  they 
spent  an  hour  listening  to  the  music  and  strolling  about. 

As  they  were  returning,  Ralph  succeeded  in  securing  Star  as 
a  companion ;  perchance  his  sister  knew  his  design  in  so  doing, 
and  aided  him  by  asking  Mr.  Rosevelt  for  his  aim  and  making 
herself  as  agreeable  as  she  could  to  him. 

"Come  this  way,"  Ralph  whispered,  leading  the  fair  girl  down 
a  path  at  right  angles  to  the  one  they  had  been  traversing; 
"we  shall  all  meet  at  the  gate ;"  and  Star  could  find  no  reason 
able  excuse  to  offer,  although  her  heart  beat  ominously  at  the 
request 

The  evening  was  delightfully  cool  and  pleasant,  the  air  fra 
grant  with  the  perfume  of  many  flowers,  while  the  music  in  the 
distance  lent  its  own  enchantment  to  the  place  and  hour. 

It  was  just  the  time  for  Cupid  to  be  busy  with  his  arrows, 
and  Ralph  Meredith  felt  that  it  was  an  opportunity  not  to  be 
lost,  and  governed  himself  accordingly. 

"Miss  Gladstone,"  he  said,  abruptly,  after  a  rather  awkward 
silence,  "I  am  obliged  to  return  to  New  York  to-morrow." 


296  "/   LOVE    HIM    STILL." 

"Are  you?"  Star  asked,  in  surprise.  "Is  it  not  a  sudden 
departure?" 

"  Rather.     I  had  hoped  to  remain  a  week  longer." 

"Surely  your  sister  does  not  accompany  you?  I  should 
miss  her  sorely ;  I  should  regret  to  lose  her  more  than  I  can 
tell  you." 

The  young  man's  face  fell.  He  had  not  been  included  in  her 
regret.  But  he  rallied,  and  said,  lightly  : 

"My  sister  is  highly  favored,  Miss  Gladstone;  but  I  had 
flattered  myself  that  I  also  should  be  missed." 

"  Pardon  me,  if  my  words  conveyed  to  you  the  idea  that  you 
would  not, "  Star  said,  quickly.  "You  have  been  most  kind, 
Mr.  Meredith,  and  I  shall  most  certainly  miss  your  companion 
ship  and  your  friendly  attentions." 

Friendly  attentions ! 

Mr.  Meredith  had  received  another  stab. 

"But,"  she  added,  "will  Grace  go  with  you?  You  have 
not  yet  told  me,  and  I  have  not  heard  her  say  anything  about 
leaving. " 

She  hoped  thus  to  ward  off  what  she  feared  was  coming,  and 
turn  the  conversation  in  another  channel. 

"No;  Grace  will  remain  for  another  week.  But,  Miss  Glad 
stone — Star,"  he  began,  desperately,  "I  could  not  leave  with 
out  seeking  this  private  interview  with  you  to  learn  my  fate. 
You  have  called  my  attentions  'friendly.'  Have  you  not  real 
ized  that  they  have  been  vastly  more  than  that?  Have  you  not 
seen  that  I  have  grown  to  love  you  madly,  idolatrously  ?  You 
are  modest  as  a  violet,  my  bright  Star;  and  although  I  have 
tried  to  win  some  sign  of  answering  affection  from  you,  yet  you 
have  not  given  me  one.  You  have  evaded  my  every  look,  my 
every  word  of  love.  But,  my  beautiful  darling,  it  seems  as  if 
my  true  heart  must  find  in  yours  a  fond  return.  You  will  tell 
me  to-night,  will  you  not,  dear,  that  you  will  give  yourself  to 
me?  Star,  how  shall  I  tell  you  of  the  depth  of  my  love? — how 


«/   LOVE    HIM   STILL."  297 

you  have  become  so  necessary  to  me,  that  if  you  should  send 
me  away  without  hope,  the  future  would  hold  nothing  to  tempt 
me,  nothing  to  make  life  worth  the  living.  When  I  held  you 
in  my  arms  last  Wednesday,  and  believed  that  your  life  had 
been  endangered — when  you  lay  unconscious  upon  my  breast, 
close  to  my  heart,  so  white  and  still,  so  exactly  as  if  you  were 
dead,  I  said  to  myself  that  I  could  not,  I  cared  not  to  live,  if 
you  were  taken  from  me.  My  love,  look  up  into  my  eyes,  lay 
your  hand  in  mine,  and  tell  me  you  will  give  yourself  to  me." 

He  stopped  in  the  path  and  waited  for  her  answer — waited 
for  her  to  lay  her  hand  in  his,  as  he  had  asked  her  to  do,  and 
bid  him  to  hope  and  be  the  happiest  man  in  the  universe. 

But  her  beautiful  golden  head  was  bent,  as  if  weighted  with 
some  heavy  care  or  sorrow.  The  star-like  face  was  pale  and 
downcast,  and  the  lovely  eyes,  into  which  he  longed  to  read  an 
answering  tale  of  love,  were  hidden  by  their  white  lids  and 
curling  lashes. 

"Star,"  he  breathed,  a  note  of  keen  pain  in  his  tone,  "do 
not  tell  me  that  I  must  give  up  my  bright  dream  of  joy." 

"Mr.  Meredith,"  she  answered,  looking  up  at  him  with 
sudden  resolution,  "forget  for  a  little  while  what  you  have 
just  said  to  me,  and  listen,  while  I  read  you  a  page  out  of  my 
own  heart." 

A  look  of  suffering  came  into  his  eyes,  his  lips  trembled, 
and  he  breathed  heavily,  but  he  answered  : 

"I  cannot  ''forget,'  but  I  will  ' listen,'  as  you  wish." 

' '  Nearly  two  years  ago, "  Star  began,  ' '  I  came  to  America  in 

the  ,  a  vessel  that  sailed  from  Liverpool  to  New  York. 

Perhaps  you  remember  that  it  was  lost  at  sea,  I  was  one  of 

the  few  who  were  saved,  and  afterward  picked  up  by  the , 

another  homeward  bound  vessel.  As  I  was  lifted  from  the  life 
boat  to  the  deck  of  the  noble  craft,  I  fainted  from  exhaustion, 
and  fell  into  the  arms  of  a  stranger,  who  bore  me  to  a  state 
room  and  gave  me  into  the  care  of  a  stewardess.  I  met  him  a 


808  "/   LOVE    HIM    STILL." 

day  01  two  afterward  on  the  deck.  He  was  a  noble, 
looking  gentleman,  some  four  years  my  senior.  We  were  thrown 
much  into  each  other's  society  during  the  remainder  of  the 
voyage,  and  there  came  into  my  heart  during  that  time  a  feeling 
for  him  which  will  prevent  me  from  ever  loving  another  while 
I  live.  When  we  landed  we  parted  as  friends,  though  we  ex 
changed  souvenirs,  and  he  expressed  the  hope  that  we  should 
«neet  again.  A  few  months  later  we  did  meet,  our  friendship 
was  renewed,  and  soon  ripened  into  something  deeper — in  fact, 
he  won  my  heart  entirely.  We  were  betrothed,  and  for  a  few 
days  earth  became  a  paradise  to  me.  I  firmly  believed  him  to 
be  all  that  he  appeared.  I  could  have  staked  my  life  upon  his 
truth  and  honor,  and  I  would  have  defended  him  with  my  latest 
breath  had  any  one  assailed  his  fair  fame  or  doubted  his  alle 
giance  to  me.  But  I  could  not  doubt  the  evidence  of  my  own 
senses,  and  he  proved  himself  a  traitor  in  my  very  presence. 
He  played  me  false  before  the  vows  which  he  had  uttered  to 
me  had  scarcely  grown  cold  upon  his  lips.  I  spurned  him  with 
scorn ;  I  denounced  him  as  the  traitor  and  coward  which  1 
knew  him  to  be;  but,  oh,  Mr.  Meredith,  strange  as  it  may 
seem  to  you,  I — I  love  him  still.  Perhaps  it  is  unmaidenly  in 
me  to  tell  you  this,  perhaps  it  betrays  weakness  and  a  lack  of 
proper  dignity  on  my  part ;  but  I  feel  that  I  owe  it  to  you,  to 
make  you  understand  how  impossible  it  is  for  me  to  reciprocate 
your  affection.  He  won  my  girlish  heart,  he  bound  me  irre 
vocably  to  him  by  the  power  of  his  will  and  the  charm  of  his 
oily  tongue,  and  I  can  never  love  another.  You  will  say  that 
he  is  unworthy  such  constancy,  or  even  of  a  regret.  I  know 
he  is,  and  yet  while  I  own  it,  my  soul  is  reaching  after  him 
with  all  the  strength  of  a  deathless  love.  I  began  to  fear,  a 
week  ago,  that  you  were  entertaining  feelings  for  me  which 
would  bring  sorrow  upon  us  both.  You  say  that  I  have  evaded 
you.  I  have  done  so ;  I  have  tried  to  show  you  that  the  hopes 
which  I  feared  you  were  entertaining  could  never  be  realized, 


"/    LOVE    HIM    STILLS 


299 


and  I  wish  that  you  had  never  spoken  the  words  which  you 
have  to-night ;  for  I  know — you  know,  that  you  could  never  be 
satisfied  to  take  any  one  to  your  heart  who  was  always  turning 
from  you  to  another,  who,  although  she  knew  she  was  loving 
unworthily,  would  not  yet  have  the  power  to  keep  her  affec 
tions  from  straying  from  you,  and  who  could  not  keep  her 
vows  of  allegiance  to  you,  for  such  vows,  if  spoken,  would  be 
but  mockery.  Mr.  Meredith,  you  could  never  be  satisfied  with 
such  a  wife  as  that, "  she  concluded,  in  a  voice  which  shook 
with  emotion. 

"No,  Miss  Gladstone,"  he  answered,  sorrowfully.  "I  love 
you  too  fondly,  too  devotedly,  to  be  content  with  anything  save 
an  affection  as  strong  and  true  as  my  own.  But,"  with  a  note 
of  earnest  appeal  in  his  tone,  "could  I  not  win  you  by  and  by? 
Could  I  not  teach  you  to  love  me  by  proving  to  you  that  I  am 
worthy  of  your  love  ?" 

Star  shook  her  head  sadly. 

"  I  know  that  you  are  worthy  at  this  moment,"  she  said.  "  1 
have  the  deepest  respect  for  you,  and  value  you  as  a  friend ;  but 
nothing — no  one  can  ever  win  the  love  which  I  must  always 
bear  for  Archibald  Sherbrooke.  He  has  broken  my  heart  and 
ruined  my  life ;  for  I  can  never  be  the  wife  of  any  worthy  man, 
since  I  will  not  live  a  lie.  I  can  never  have  a  home  of  my  own  ; 
I  can  never  have  those  sweet  domestic  ties  and  duties  which 
other  women  have ;  I  can  only  try  to  do  my  duty  by  the  dear 
old  man  who  is  so  fond  of  me  while  he  lives,  and,  after  that, 
live  out  my  lonely  life  with  what  patience  and  courage  I  can," 
she  concluded,  with  such  a  pathos  that  the  young  man  for  the 
moment  forgot  his  own  sorrow  and  disappointment  in  pity 
for  her. 

"Where  is  he — where  is  this  coward  who  has  so  imposed 
upon  you.  ruined  your  life,  and  proved  faithless  to  his  troth? 
Tell  me,  that  I  mav  go  and  brand  him  the  knave  and  villain 
that  he  is  \"  Ralph  Meredith  cried,  in  hot  indignation. 


300  "I    LOVE    HIM    STILL." 

"  I  do  not  know  where  he  is,"  Star  answered.  "  I  have  never 
seen  him  since  that  night  when  I  told  him  that  I  had  discovered 
his  treachery.  That  was  nearly  a  year  ago.  I  never  expect  to 
meet  him  again — I  never  wish  to  meet  him  again.  I  desire  to 
ignore  him — at  least,  to  all  outward  appearances;  and  if  he 
possesses  such  an  attribute  as  a  conscience,  his  punishment 
must  come  sometime.  But,"  she  went  on,  in  a  voice  of  pain, 
"I  hope  no  one  else  will  ever  learn  to  love  me,  for  I  cannot 
endure  the  thought  that  I  shall  spoil  other  lives  as  mine  has 
been  spoilt  Oh,  Mr.  Meredith,  I  am  sorry  if  1  have  uncon 
sciously  done  you  a  wrong.  Pray,  forget  me  if  you  can, 

and " 

"That  I  can  never  do,"  he  interrupted,  gently,  for  he  saw 
that  she  was  deeply  moved  ;  "but  I  will  try  and  be  content  if 
you  will  allow  me  still  to  be  your  friend." 

"Thank  you,"  she  returned,  while  she  wiped  the  tears  which 
were  falling  fast;  "it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  me  if  you  will 
permit  me  to  regard  you  as  such.  I  feared  I  should  incur  your 
contempt  by  the  confession  I  have  made  to-night ;  but  I  could 
better  endure  that  than  that  your  future  should  be  ruined  by 
hoping  against  hope." 

"Contempt !"  he  repeated,  earnestly;  "such  a  feeling  I  could 
never  entertain  for  you ;  you  have,  instead,  my  deepest  sym 
pathy  and  respect.  But  if  I  ever  meet  and  know  the  wretch 
who  has  played  you  false,  let  him  beware ;  for  I  will  surely 
make  him  repent  most  bitterly  his  treachery  and  baseness 
toward  you,"  he  concluded,  fiercely. 

A  faint  smile  of  scorn  curled  Star's  lips. 

Time  would  bring  its  own  punishment  to  her  faithless  lover, 
she  believed,  and  she  had  no  desire  that  any  one  should  act  as 
her  champion  in  this  matter. 

She  had  called  him  "Archibald  Sherbrooke "  purposely,  for 
she  felt  assured  that  if,  by  any  chance,  Ralph  Meredith  should 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


301 


Vcr  meet  him,  he  would  not  recognize  in  Lord  Carrol  the  man 
,.'  whom  she  had  told  him. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

A      NOBLE       RESOLUTION. 

"You  will  remember  that  you  have  promised  that  I  am  still 
to  be  your  friend ;  you  will  not  avoid  me  and  deny  me  the 
pleasure  of  your  society  because  of  what  I  have  told  you  to 
night?"  Ralph  pleaded,  as  he  and  Star  drew  near  the  entrance 
of  the  park,  and  knew  that  they  would  soon  be  rejoined  by  his 
sister  and  Mr.  Rosevelt 

Star  looked  up  at  him  with  a  grave  face. 

"You  shall  still  be  my  friend.  I  will  not  avoid  you  if  you 
will  promise  me  that  you  will  build  no  false  hopes  upon  our 
friendship,"  she  said. 

"  How  can  I,  when  you  tell  me  that  there  is  no  hope?"  he 
asked,  yet  his  voice  trembled  and  was  full  of  pain. 

"May  I  continue  to  visit  you  when  you  return  to  New  York ?" 
he  resumed,  after  a  moment. 

"Certainly,  as  one  friend  would  visit  another.  You  have 
made  my  stay  here  very  pleasant,  and  I  should  be  very  sorry 
not  to  see  you  occasionally,  while  Grace  has  become  almost 
like  a  sister  to  me. " 

The  young  man  thanked  her  with  glistening  eyes,  and  with 
a  pang  at  his  heart,  as  he  thought  how  fondly  he  had  hoped  to 
make  the  two  girls  sisters,  and  how  rudely  his  bright  dream  had 
been  broken. 

Then  they  passed  out  at  the  gate,  where  they  found  Mn 
Rosevelt  and  Grace  awaiting  them. 


302 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


Both  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  interview  had  been  a  sorrowful 
one,  and  Miss  Meredith  was  bitterly  disappointed,  for  she  had 
trusted  that  Ralph  would  be  able  to  win  the  bright,  beautiful 
girl  for  his  wife. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  surmised  the  cause  of  Star's  rejection  of  his 
suit,  and  sighed  heavily,  for  the  young  man  had  been  a  favorite 
with  him,  and  he  would  have  been  glad  to  give  her  to  him. 

But  he  would  never  try  to  influence  her  upon  matters  of 
such  a  delicate  nature.  She  should  always  do  exactly  as  she 
liked,  and  he  knew  that  whoever  her  choice  might  be,  it  would 
never  be  an  unworthy  one. 

They  parted  at  the  door  of  the  hotel,  Ralph  bidding  them 
good-by  there,  as  he  was  to  leave  early  in  the  morning,  and 
Star  knew  by  the  way  he  wrung  her  hand  that  he  was  bidding 
farewell  to  hope  as  well. 

When  they  reached  their  private  parlor,  she  went  directly  to 
Mr.  Rosevelt's  side  and  laid  her  hand  upon  his  arm.  Her  face 
was  flushed  and  sad,  and  he  saw  at  once  that  she  was  very 
unhappy. 

"What  is  it,  my  starling?"  he  asked,  taking  her  hand  in  both 
of  his,  and  speaking  very  tenderly. 

"Uncle  Jacob,  I  want  to  go  home,"  she  said,  wearily. 

"  Bless  you,  child  !  you  shall  go  wherever  you  like,"  he  said, 
in  surprise,  and  regarding  her  anxiously. 

"I  want  to  go  where  you  and  I  can  be  by  ourselves,  and 
where  I  cannot  do  any  mischief,"  she  said,  with  a  sob  of  pain, 
and  he  knew  beyond  a  doubt  that  Ralph  Meredith  had  pro 
posed  and  been  rejected. 

"  Mischief!  tut,  tut,  little  one!  What  has  made  you  so  un 
happy?  Have  you  sent  our  young  friend  away  in  sorrow?" 

Star  nodded  her  head  in  reply ;  she  could  not  find  voice  to 
answer  him. 

"  He  is  a  fine  young  man — he  is  a  worthy  young  man,"  Mr. 
Rosevelt  said,  gently, 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


3°3 


'• '  Oh,  I  know  it,  Uncle  Jacob ;  but — my  heart  is  dead,  and  it 
can  never  live  again.  Don't  blame  me,  please— -you  know  all 
about  it,  and  you  know  that  I  could  not  help  it  and  be  true  to 
him  and  myself,"  she  returned,  in  deep  distress. 

"You  have  done  everything  to  make  me  happy, "  she  went 
on,  a  little  more  calmly,  "and  I  thought  I  was  beginning  to 
be  content  and  to  enjoy  life  once  more ;  but  I  cannot  endure 
many  scenes  like  what  transpired  to-night.  Let  us  go  home, 
where  I  can  go  to  work  again,  and  in  my  duties  there  forget,  if 
possible,  the  misery  of  the  past,  which  I  have  been  made  to 
live  over  again  to-night." 

"We  will  leave  Newport  to-morrow,  if  you  wish, "Mr.  Rose- 
velt  said,  after  a  little  thought;  "but  we  will  not  go  back  to 
New  York  just  yet — we  will  spend  two  or  three  weeks  in  sight 
seeing  first.  We  will  go  to  the  White  Mountains,  from  there  to 
Montreal,  then  down  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  lake  to  Niagara, 
and  then  home.  That  will  give  us  a  change  and  a  nice  little 
trip,  besides  a  knowledge  of  something  of  the  country.  It  is  a 
long  time  since  I  went  over  that  ground,  and  I  think  I  should 
enjoy  the  journey,  if  the  idea  pleases  you." 

He  was  not  going  to  let  her  go  back  to  New  York  and  bury 
herself  at  home,  where  she  would  brood  over  her  trouble  and 
grow  pale,  thin,  and  hollow-eyed  again ;  so  he  put  it  in  the 
form  of  a  favor  to  himself. 

Star  assented,  thinking  if  the  trip  would  give  him  pleasure 
she  would  not  say  "nay."  She  only  longed  to  get  away  from 
Newport;  it  would  be  a  change,  and  a  spirit  of  unrest  had  sud 
denly  possessed  her. 

So  it  was  arranged  that  they  should  leave  the  gay  resort  the 
next  day  but  one. 

"And,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  pleaded,  as  they  were  about  to 
retire  for  the  night,  "let  us  not  say  much  about  it  until  to 
morrow  ;  let  us  get  away  as  quietly  as  possible." 


304 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


"Very  well;  we  will  leave  the  announcement  of  our  de 
parture  as  long  as  we  can,  without  appearing  to  run  away,"  he 
answered,  understanding  her  motive. 

The  next  morning  Star  sought  Miss  Meredith,  and  confessed, 
with  many  tears,  her  rejection  of  her  brother. 

"I  knew  he  would  tell  you,"  she  said,  "but  I  cannot  bear 
ihat  you  should  blame  me,  Grace.  I  have  not  meant  to  wrong 
your  brother,  and  I  would  give  much  to  make  him  as  happy 
and  free  from  pain  as  he  was  before  he  knew  me.  Do  not  take 
your  friendship  from  me  on  account  of  it,  for  I  need  it  more 
than  I  ever  did  before." 

And  Grace  Meredith,  not  knowing  all,  kissed  her  tenderly, 
while  she  thought  in  her  heart,  "  Perhaps  I  can  help  to  win  her 
for  Ralph  even  yet,  if  I  am  patient" 

"Do  not  grieve,"  she  said,  gently.  "I  know  you  have  in 
tended  no  wrong.  You  cannot  help  being  beautiful  and  attrac 
tive  ;  you  cannot  help  it  if  people  will  love  you.  I  do  not 
blame  you,  dear,  in  the  least,  and  I  am  sure  I  should  not  think 
of  breaking  our  friendship,  which  has  been  so  exceedingly 
pleasant.  Ralph  did  tell  me  something  of  this  last  night,  and 
of  course  I  am  sorry  for  him,  for  he  is  a  very  dear  brother,  and 
a  noble  fellow,  too;  but  these  affairs  of  the  heart,  you  know," 
she  concluded,  smiling  and  flushing,  for  she  knew  something 
about  it  herself,  "are  entirely  beyond  our  control." 

"Thank  you,  Grace,"  Star  said,  gratefully,  although  the 
trouble  did  not  fade  out  of  her  azure  eyes;  "you  have  light 
ened  my  burden  considerably.  It  would  have  been  more  than 
I  could  bear  to  make  an  enemy  of  you. " 

"  An  enemy,  you  dear  little  goose  !"  Grace  cried.  "  Do  you 
suppose  I  would  be  so  foolish  as  to  wish  to  drive  you  to  marry 
my  brother  if  you  could  not  love  him?  I  love  you  both  too 
well  for  that;  and  now  don't  let  me  hear  anything  more  about 
broken  friendships,  unless  I  do  something  to  forfeit  your  re- 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


305 


«peCt,  for  it  would  cause  me  great  sorrow  to  have  anything  mar 
our  intimacy." 

Star  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief 

"You  are  very  good  to  me,"  she  returned ;  "and  now  I  have 
a  little  message  to  you  from  Uncle  Jacob. 

"A  message  from  Mr.  Rosevelt!  Do  let  me  have  it,  then, 
for  it  must  be  something  good,"  Miss  Meredith  said,  gayly.  She 
longed  to  drive  the  clouds  from  her  friend's  face. 

"We  are  going  to  leave  Newport." 

' '  Going  to  leave  Newport !     When  ?" 

"To-morrow." 

"If  that  is  your  message,  it  is  anything  but  a  welcome  one," 
Miss  Meredith  said,  looking  very  much  disturbed. 

"Oh,  but  it  isn't,"  Star  replied;  "I  was  to  tell  you  of  out 
plans.  We  are  going  from  here  to  the  White  Mountains,  from 
there  to  Montreal,  down  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  Lake  On 
tario  to  Niagara,  and  then  home;  and  Uncle  Jacob  commis 
sioned  me  to  ask  you  to  be  our  guest  during  the  trip.  Will 
you  go,  Grace?" 

Miss  Meredith  looked  thoughtful. 

It  would  be  a  sudden  start,  but  the  trip  offered  great  attrac- 
l  jn,  to  say  nothing  of  the  pleasure  she  would  experience  in 
Star's  and  Mr.  Rosevelt's  society. 

Ralph  was  gone,  and  if  these  friends  should  go  also,  she 
would  be  very  lonely,  notwithstanding  she  had  many  acquaint 
ances  here. 

' '  I  want  you,  Grace ;  please  do  not  refuse, "  Star  pleaded,  as 
she  kesitated,  and  she  assented  without  further  demur. 

Accordingly,  the  next  day  they  all  left  Newport,  and  many 
blank  faces  and  wistful  eyes  watched  their  departure,  for  they 
had  formed  a  nucleus  around  which  a  brilliant  circle  had  col 
lected,  and  they  would  be  sadly  missed. 

The  trip  occupied  three  weeks,  and  proved  a  most  delightful 
one  also. 


300  •      XOBLE 

Star  was  a  first-rate  traveler,  Miss  Meredith  a  most  pleasant 
companion,  and  they  all  regained  much  of  their  accustomed 
spirits  before  it  was  over,  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  congratulated  him 
self  that  he  had  planned  most  wisely. 

"I  think  it  is  charming  to  travel  in  this  way,"  Star  said,  one 
day  while  they  were  at  Niagara;  "just  a  few  of  us  who  enjoy 
each  other,  stopping  when  we  choose,  going  on  when  we  like, 
and  having  everything  our  own  way.  I  think  there  is  nothing 
so  pleasant  as  traveling. " 

"  How  would  you  like  to  go  to  California  and  the  Yosemite 
Valley? '  Mr.  Rosevelt  asked. 

"  I  think  I  should  like  it,"  she  answered,  enthusiastically. 

"Will  you  go  this  fall?" 

"Oh,  Uncle  Jacob,  aren't  you  tired?  Do  you  not  need  to 
go  home  and  rest  after  so  much  dissipation?"  the  young  girl 
asked,  but  her  eyes  sparkled  and  her  cheeks  flushed  with  an 
ticipation. 

"Do  you  call  it  dissipation  to  travel?"  he  asked,  smiling  at 
her  eagerness.  "  I  enjoy  it  almost  more  than  anything  else." 

"  'Almost  more,'  "  Star  repeated,  quickly.  "What  would  you 
enjoy  more?" 

"To  see  you  perfectly  happy,"  he  replied,  tenderly;  "and," 
he  added,  "I  believe  that  traveling  does  you  fully  as  much 
good  as  anything  else.  We  will  go  home  and  rest  a  week,  then 
we  will  start  for  the  far  West.  What  do  you  say  to  my  plan  ?" 

Miss  Meredith's  face  lighted. 

"Say  'yes'  to  it,  by  all  means,  Star,"  she  said,  "and — I  will 
go  with  you,  if  you  wil!  have  me." 

" If  we  will  have  you,"  Star  returned,  with  dancing  eyes. 
"Why,  I  think  it  would  be  the  very  nicest  thing  in  all  the 
world — we  three,  with  Mrs.  Blunt  to  look  after  us,  do  have 
such  delightful,  cozy  times." 

' '  I  have  been  wishing  for  just  such  an  opportunity  for  a  long: 


A    NOBLE    RESOLUTION. 


307 


time,"  Grace  said,  "and  if  you  will  take  me  along  with  you,  I 
should  esteem  it  a  great  favor." 

"  I  think  with  Star,  that  it  would  be  the  best  arrangement  in 
the  world ;  and,  Miss  Meredith,  we  shall  consider  you  a  mem 
ber  of  our  party, "  Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  with  a  bow  and  a  smile 
to  that  young  lady. 

Star  looked  up  into  the  old  gentleman's  face. 

"Uncle  Jacob,  how  good  you  are  to  me !"  she  said  ;  and  her 
red  lips  trembled  over  the  words,  for  she  knew  that  he  had 
planned  all  this  expressly  for  her  sake,  to  keep  her  thoughts 
pleasantly  employed  and  from  brooding  over  the  past 

' '  My  dear,  do  I  not  owe  my  life  and  all  that  I  am  at  present 
enjoying  to  you?"  he  asked,  gravely.  "Remember,"  he  added, 
"that  when  you  are  happy  I  am  happy  also,  and  vice  versa; 
whatever  cloud  darkens  your  sky  is  sure  to  bring  sorrow  to 
me  also ;  so  let  us  make  the  most  of  our  lives  while  we  have 
them." 

Star  looked  up  brightly  after  Mr.  Rosevelt's  last  remark,  and 
glancing  archly  from  him  to  Miss  Meredith,  said  : 

"Well,  if  so  much  depends  upon  my  decision — if  I  hold  the 
fate  of  two  such  important  people  in  my  hands,  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  say,  we  will  go  to  California  and  be  happy.  But," 
she  added,  laughing,  "I  warn  you  both  beforehand  that  I  shall 
not  be  easily  satiated ;  I  shall  want  to  go  everywhere  and  see 
everything.  Yes  ;  we  will  go  home  and  rest  a  week,  then  turn 
our  faces  toward  the  'golden  gate,'  and — '  westward,  hoi'  " 


308  !87    PROMISE." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

"l    PROMISE." 

On  returning  to  New  York,  Star  learned  that  Ralph  Meredith 
had  sailed  for  Europe  a  couple  of  days  before  their  arrival. 

The  week  that  they  had  promised  themselves  for  rest  at  home 
proved  to  be  a  busy  one  instead,  for  considerable  preparation 
was  necessary  for  the  long  journey  they  were  contemplating,  as 
it  was  to  occupy  three  or  four  months. 

Star  was  glad  to  be  at  home  again,  and  went  flitting  about 
the  house,  full  of  business  and  life. 

One  day  they  were  out  making  a  few  necessary  purchases, 
when  suddenly,  in  one  of  the  stores,  they  came  upon  Mr 
Richards. 

He  looked  aged  and  care-worn,  neglected  and  unhappy.  His 
face  lighed  with  momentary  pleasure,  however,  when  he  caught 
sight  of  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star,  and  he  came  forward  to  greet 
them  with  extended  hand. 

"I  cannot  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  once  more," 
he  said,  heartily.  "I  am  not  going  to  reproach  you  either  for 
running  away  from  us,  for,  unpleasant  as  it  is  for  me  to  say  it, 
I  could  not  blame  you  under  the  circumstances.  But  it  is  only 
within  a  week  or  two  that  I  have  learned  of  the  change  in  your 
life ;  and,  Uncle  Jacob,  I  am  sincerely  glad  that  you  did  not 
lose  your  fortune,  as  we  supposed. " 

"Thank  you.  Then  you  do  not  feel  aggrieved  over  the 
ruse  I  played  upon  you  ?"  replied  Mr.  Rosevelt,  regarding  him 
searchingly. 

"Not  at  all ;  it  was  no  more  than  right  that  you  should  wish 


<«/    PROMISE."  309 

to  know  who  was  worthy  to  be  your  heir, "  but  he  sighed  heavily 
as  he  spoke,  as  he  remembered  how  unworthy  his  wife  had 
proved  herself  to  be. 

"How  goes  the  world  with  you?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  asked,  and 
noticing  the  return  of  the  care-worn  look  to  Mr.  Richards'  face. 

"Rather  discouragingly  just  now.  I  have  met  with  some 
pretty  heavy  losses  lately ;  don't  know  whether  I  shall  be  able 
to  pull  through  all  right  or  not.  A  couple  of  weeks  will  tell 
the  story,  however." 

He  spoke  in  a  desperate  tone,  and  there  was  a  look  in  his 
eyes  that  made  Star  shudder  and  involuntarily  draw  closer  to 
Mr.  Rosevelt. 

"You  don't  mean  that  you  are  in  danger  of  going  under?" 
he  said,  in  surprise,  and  remembering  how  his  wife  and  daughter 
had  flourished  at  Newport. 

"Just  that,"  Mr.  Richards  returned,  nervously;  "but  if  it 
was  not  for  the  horror  I  have  of  debt,  and  the  thought  that 
others  must  suffer  through  me,  I  would  gladly  lay  down  my 
arms  and  give  up  the  battle ;  I  am  tired  to  death  of  this  endless 
struggle  to  keep  up  appearances.  But/'  he  added,  trying  to 
speak  more  cheerfully,  "I  won't  bore  you  with  my  troubles. 
How  well  you  are  both  looking ;  and  Star — they  tell  me  you 
are  the  author  of  ' Chatsworth's  Pride.'  I  declare  I  was  never 
prouder  of  anything  in  my  life  when  I  heard  it  I  always  knew 
you'd  make  your  mark  in  the  world. " 

Star  colored.  She  was  a  trifle  sensitive  regarding  compli 
ments  of  this  kind,  and  never  talked  about  her  book  if  she 
could  help  it,  except  with  those  whom  she  was  sure  were  her 
true  friends. 

But  she  thanked  him  gracefully,  and  then  turned  the  con 
versation  to  some  other  topic,  while  all  the  time  she  was  won 
dering  if  there  was  not  something  that  she  could  do  to  help  or 
comfort  him  in  his  trouble. 

"  Now  that  I  have  found  you,"  he  said,  later,  "  tell  me  where 


"/    PROMISE.- 

you  live  and  I  will  come  to  see  you.  I  will  not  invite  you  to 
Brooklyn,"  he  continued,  with  a  frown,  "for  I  know  you  could 
not  come  there  with  any  comfort,  though  I  should  be  glad 
enough  to  see  you  there. " 

While  he  was  speaking,  Star  had  drawn  a  little  back,  so  that 
Mr.  Rosevelt  was  between  her  and  Mr.  Richards,  and  he  could 
not  see  her  face  at  all. 

"Uncle  Jacob,"  she  whispered,  close  to  his  ear,  "cannot  we 
do  something  to  help  him  out  of  his  trouble?  He  looks  so 
wild  and  desperate  that  he  frightens  me.  He  was  always  kind 
to  me,  and  I'll  willingly  give  up  California  or  anything  else  you 
please. " 

Jacob  Rosevelt's  face  flushed  hotly  at  these  words,  and  a 
strange  gleam  came  into  his  fine  eyes.  He  appeared  to  take 
no  notice  of  her  plea,  but  after  giving  Mr.  Richards  their  street 
and  number,  continued  : 

"If  you  have  no  other  engagement,  George,  come  up  and 
dine  with  us  to-night,  and  see  how  cozy  we  are.  We  have 
dinner  at  six,  and  as  we  leave  for  California  on  Wednesday  night, 
I  am  afraid  we  shall  not  see  you  again. " 

George  Richards  caught  his  breath  with  a  sudden  gasp  at  this 
intelligence,  and  Star  noticed  again  that  frenzied  gleam  in  his 
eyes  which  had  made  her  heart  throb  painfully. 

"California,  do  you?"  he  said,  trying  to  speak  steadily. 
"Well,  I  will  come,  of  course,  then;  for  life  is  uncertain,  you 
know,  and  I  may  never  see  you  again, "  he  added,  with  a  harsh, 
grating  laugh.  "Thank  you  for  the  invitation,  and  as  I  have 
no  engagement,  I  will  be  on  hand  in  season  for  dinner.  But  I 
must  be  off  now,  for  I  have  agreed  to  meet  a  couple  of  gentle 
men  at  twelve,  and  it  only  wants  fifteen  minutes  of  that  now." 

He  lifted  his  hat  and  bowed  to  them,  then  turned  away ;  but 
the  white-haired  gentleman  and  the  beautiful  girl  who  stood 
looking  after  him  saw  the  aged,  dejected  look  return  almost 
instantly  to  his  face,  and  heard  the  heavy  sigh  that  escaped  his 


'•/    PROMISE."  £11 

lips,  telling  of  some  fearful  burden  of  care  that  was  wearing 
his  life  away. 

"So  you  want  me  to  help  George  Richards  out  of  his  trouble, 
do  you,  Star?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  said,  on  their  way  home,  and  his 
eyes  rested  fondly  on  the  graceful  figure  sitting  by  his  side, 
driving  her  pretty  gray  ponies. 

"Perhaps  it  was  presuming  in  me  to  ask  you  to  do  so,  Uncle 
Jacob,"  Star  answered,  gravely,  and  flushing  a  vivid  crimson; 
' '  but  I  feel  very  sony  for  him.  He  was  kind  to  me  in  many 
ways  while  I  was  living  with  his  family,  and  but  for  him  I 
should  have  been  made  a  common  servant" 

When  George  Richards  was  ushered  into  Jacob  Rosevelt's 
luxurious  and  cozy  dining-room  that  evening,  where  the  table 
was  laid  with  exquisite  taste  for  three,  his  eyes  lighted,  and  the 
look  of  care  vanished  as  if  by  magic  from  his  face. 

Three  times  after  dessert  Star  made  Mr.  Richards  let  her  fill 
his  tiny  cup  with  the  delicious  coffee ;  then  she  playfully  told 
him  that  she  should  not  give  him  any  more,  but  if  he  would 
come  into  the  library,  she  would  try  and  see  what  she  could  do 
toward  intoxicating  him  in  some  other  way. 

"I  have  not  forgotten  how  fond  you  are  of  music,"  she 
added,  smiling,  "and  I  want  you  to  tell  me  if  you  do  not  think 
I  have  improved  some  since  you  last  heard  me  play." 

She  slipped  her  hand  through  his  arm  and  led  him  into  the 
library,  while  Mr.  Rosevelt  watched  her  with  humorous  eyes  as 
she  performed  this  labor  of  love. 

Seated  at  the  piano,  she  whiled  away  another  hour,  making 
George  Richards  forget  everything  disagreeable,  and  appear  the 
pleasant,  genial  gentleman  whom  she  used  to  know. 

"  'Richard  is  almost  himself  again,'  I  think,"  she  thought, 
with  a  happy  little  smile,  as  once,  after  a  comic  song  which  she 
sang  to  him,  he  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  laughed  long  and 
heartily. 

But  this  could  not  go  on  forever,  and  finally  Mr.  Rosevelt 


"/  PROMISE." 

gradually  led  him  to  talk  business,  and  asked  him  to  tell  him 
just  what  his  trouble  was. 

This  changed  everything,  and  he  became  at  once  the  anxious, 
care-worn  man  again. 

"I  do  not  like  to  trouble  you,  Uncle  Jacob,"  he  said,  un 
easily.  "You  have  had  your  day  of  business,  with  all  its  cares 
and  perplexities,  without  bothering  your  brain  with  those  of 
other  people.  I'm  in  a  terrible  muddle,  it  is  true;  but — I 
guess  there  will  be  some  way  out  of  it ;"  and  there  came  into 
his  eyes  that  same  wild,  desperate  look  which  Star  had  noticed 
in  the  morning,  and  which  made  her  shudder  with  a  terrible 
fear. 

But  Mr.  Rosevelt  insisted,  and  finally  drew  from  him  a  true 
statement  of  facts. 

' '  I  am  sorry  you  are  having  such  a  hard  time  of  it,  George, " 
he  said,  thoughtfully,  when  he  had  concluded.  "  How  much 
would  it  take  to  relieve  you  of  your  embarrassment?" 

Mr.  Richards  cast  a  startled  look  at  the  old  gentleman  at 
this  question ;  then,  while  a  deep  flush  mounted  to  his  brow, 
he  said  : 

"I  can  raise  enough  to  meet  all  my  present  liabilities  with 
ten  thousand  dollars.  I  have  tried  to  borrow  it  everywhere, 
but  everybody  seems  to  have  become  suddenly  shy  of  me  for 
some  reason,  and  I  might  as  well  be  without  a  dollar  in  the 
world  as  without  the  whole  amount  If  I  could  raise  it,  it 
would  set  me  on  my  legs  again,  for  my  credit  would  be  good, 
and,  with  care  and  patience,  I  believe  I  could  retrieve  my 
position. " 

Star  almost  held  her  breath  while  she  waited  for  Mr.  Rose- 
velt's  reply  to  this. 

To  her  infinite  surprise,  he  turned  to  her. 

"My  dear,"  he  said,  gently,  "you  shall  return  some  of  the 
kindness  of  which  you  told  me  this  morning.  I  think  you 
understand  what  I  want  you  to  da" 


"«/    PROMISE." 

He  glanced  as  he  concluded  toward  the  private  drawer  in  his 
desk,  where  he  always  kept  his  check-book,  and  she  knew  that 
he  wanted  her  to  go  and  fill  out  a  check  for  the  amount  that 
Mr.  Richards  had  named. 

She  arose,  went  to  the  desk,  unlocked  the  drawer  with  trem 
bling  fingers,  and  drew  forth  the  book. 

Opening  it,  she  filled  out  a  check,  as  she  had  often  done  for 
him  during  the  last  few  months,  then  tearing  it  out,  carried  it 
to  him,  with  a  pen  filled  with  ink. 

He  turned  it  over  and  wrote  his  name  on  the  back  without  a 
word,  and  then  returned  it  to  her  to  sign. 

She  took  it  mechanically,  but  stood  irresolute  for  a  moment, 
looking  at  him,  while  her  cheeks  grew  crimson. 

"Give  it  to  him,  dear;  it  is  to  be  your  gift,"  Mr.  Rosevelt 
said,  glancing  at  Mr.  Richards,  who  sat  staring  at  them  both  in 
blank  amazement. 

A  brilliant  smile  parted  Star's  red  lips;  she  shot  a  grateful 
look  at  Uncle  Jacob,  and  advancing  to  their  visitor's  side,  laid 
the  check  down  before  him. 

One  glance  at  the  figures,  and  the  overburdened  man  bowed 
his  head  upon  the  table  with  a  groan. 

' '  I  cannot  take  it !  I  cannot  take  it — and  from  you,  of  all 
persons !"  he  said,  brokenly. 

"Why  not  from  her?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  asked,  huskily.  "All 
that  I  have  belongs  to  this  dear  girl,  and,  as  I  have  told  her 
many  times,  I  live  only  to  make  her  happy.  She  asked  me  to 
do  this  to-day  after  we  had  met  you,  because,  she  said,  you  had 
been  kind  to  her  in  the  past,  and  she  longed  to  help  you  «ut 
of  your  trouble.  So  take  it  as  her  gift,  my  boy ;  make  the  best 
ose  of  it  that  you  can,  and  welcome." 

George  Richards  groaned  again,  while  he  reached  forth  and 
grasped  the  old  man's  hand,  wringing  it  in  silent  gratitude,  yet 
overwhelmed  with  shame  and  remorse  as  he  remembered  all 


314  "/  PROMISE," 

that  he  and  the  fair-haired,  gentle  girl  standing  beside  him  had 
suffered  while  they  were  members  of  his  family. 

He  had  no  words  of  thanks  to  offer  for  this  generous  help  in 
time  of  need,  but  if  ever  a  world-weary  heart  was  relieved  of  a 
burden  too  heavy  to  be  borne,  his  was,  when  at  length  he  folded 
that  precious  bit  of  paper  and  put  it  away  for  future  use. 

When  he  arose  to  take  his  leave,  he  took  both  of  Star's 
hands  in  his  and  drew  her  aside,  where  he  could  speak  to 
her  alone. 

"But  for  you,"  he  said,  in  unsteady  tones,  "I  should  have 
been  a  ruined  man  a  week  hence.  To  tell  you  that  I  am 
ashamed  to  receive  this  gift  from  you  does  not  express  half  what 
I  feel,  when  I  look  back  and  remember  your  position  in  my 
family.  But  you  have  bestowed  it  so  kindly  and  delicately  that 
it  would  be  churlish  in  me  to  refuse  it;  and  you  have  taught 
me  a  lessor  which,  God  helping  me,  I  will  never  forget — a 
lesson  of  forgiveness  and  charity ;  and  no  one  in  my  house  shall 
ever  be  treated  unkindly  again,  no  matter  what  their  position 
may  be,"  he  concluded,  with  stern  resolution. 

•'Please  forget  all  the  past,  Mr.  Richards,"  Star  returned, 
sweetly,  but  with  evident  embarrassment.  "I  never  entertained 
any  feeling  save  that  of  gratitude  and  good-will  toward  you,  for 
you  proved  yourself  interested  in  my  welfare  in  more  instances 
than  one  while  I  was  with  you.  But, "she  added,  solemnly, 
while  she  clung  tightly  to  his  hands,  and  looked  into  his  eyes 
with  an  expression  which  made  them  droop  guiltily  before  her, 
"will  you  not  promise  me  that,  no  matter  how  dark  the  future 
may  be  to  you,  no  matter  what  trials  or  disappointments  may 
come  to  you,  you  will  never  again  meditate  doing  yourself  an 
irreparable  wrong?" 

A  streak  of  dusky  red  shot  across  the  man's  forehead,  while 
his  veins  filled  out  hard  and  full. 

"Star,"  he  stammered,  "wlnt  do  you  mean? — what  do  you 
know?" 


••/  PROMISE:'- 

"  You  know  what  I  mean.  I  read  it  in  your  eyes,  I  heard  it 
in  the  tones  of  your  voice  this  morning.  But,  oh  !  my  friend," 
and  her  voice  was  full  of  tears,  "remember  that  you  are  'bought 
with  a  price' — you  are  not  your  own.  Promise  me." 

He  raised  her  hands  and  kissed  them  reverently,  and  two 
hot  tears  rolled  over  his  cheeks  and  dropped  upon  them  in 
the  act. 

"I  promise,"  he  whispered,  hoarsely.  "My  child,  I  should 
indeed  have  been  ruined,  body  and  soul,  but  for  you.  God 
bless  you !" 

Star  and  Mr,  Rosevelt  followed  him  to  the  door  as  he  went 
out,  both  trying  to  cheer  him  with  kind  wishes  for  the  future. 

"Good-night  and  good-by,"  the  young  girl  said,  in  tones 
that  sounded  to  him  like  an  angel's  voice,  as  she  stood  in  the 
door-way  and  watched  him  go  down  the  steps.  "Be  sure  to 
come  and  see  us  again  when  we  return ;  the  latch-string  is 
always  out,  as  they  say  at  the  West,  for  our  friends." 

A  mighty  sob  burst  from  the  overcharged  heart  or  George 
Richards  as  he  reached  the  street,  and  the  tears — tears  of 
mingled  remorse,  gratitude,  and  relief — rolled  thick  and  fast 
over  his  face. 

"Thank  God,"  he  murmured,  fervently,  "for  the  light  of 
that  'star'  in  the  midst  of  what  was  worse  than  Stygian  dark 
ness.  But  for  its  friendly  beams  and  cheering  influence,  I 
should  have  been  lost  indeed." 

He  had  proceeded  some  distance,  when  he  stopped  short  and 
seemed  about  to  retrace  his  steps. 

"How  thoughtless  of  me!"  he  muttered,  impatiently.  "I 
meant  to  tell  her  all  about  Lord  Carrol.  He  deserves  to  be  set 
right  with  her,  and  she  deserves — well,  nothing  can  be  too  good 
for  her;  but  they  knocked  everything  out  of  my  head  by  their 
unexampled  generosity.  I  will  not  go  back  to-night,"  he  added, 
after  thinking  a  moment;  "I  will  write  her  to-morrow  the 
whole  story." 


316  "YOU  ARE    THE    TRAITOR." 

But  the  morrow  brought  its  busy  cares  and  perplexities,  and 
his  resolution  was  forgotten.  After  that  it  was  too  late,  for  he 
did  not  know  where  to  address  her  during  her  absence ;  and  so 
Star  still  believed  her  lover  to  be  false,  and  still  mourned  her 
shattered  idol. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

"YOU     ARE     THE     TRAITOR." 

Mr.  Rosevelt,  Star,  and  Grace  Meredith,  with  good-natured 
Mrs.  Blunt  to  attend  to  matters  of  comfort,  started  on  the  day 
appointed  for  their  Western  trip,  full  of  bright  anticipations  of 
the  pleasures  in  store  for  them ;  and  while  they  are  gone,  we 
will  follow  Ralph  Meredith  on  his  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  to 
the  old  world. 

Arriving  in  London,  he  transacted  what  business  he  had  to 
do  there,  and  then  turned  his  attention,  with  what  interest  he 
could  muster  while  his  heart  was  still  so  sore  from  his  recent 
disappointment,  to  the  attractions  which  the  great  city  afforded. 

He  visited  the  House  of  Parliament,  the  Tower,  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  the  National  Gallery  of  Art,  and  many  other  points 
of  interest,  reserving  Westminster  Abbey  until  the  last,  as  he 
wished  to  give  plenty  of  time  to  this  wonderful  and  magnificent 
structure  and  its  countless  curiosities. 

Upon  his  second  visit  thither,  and  while  he  was  in  the  chapel 
of  Henry  the  Seventh,  with  his  guide,  who  was  pointing  out  for 
his  admiration  the  beauties  of  its  architecture,  the  vaulted  roof, 
with  its  magnificent  carvings,  and  many  precious  relics  gathered 
there,  a  clear,  sweet  voice  suddenly  broke  the  solemn  stillness 
of  the  place  by  calling  out  just  behind  him : 


"YOU  ARE    THE    TRAITOR" \ 

"Why,  Archie  Sherbrooke,  do  you  know  what  time  it  is? 
Quarter  past  eleven,  and  we  promised  Lady  Dunham  that  we 
would  be  back  in  season  to  attend  the  rehearsal  at  the  Albert 
Memorial  Hall  with  her." 

Ralph  had  thought  that  he  was  the  only  visitor  there  that 
morning,  and  that  silvery  voice  speaking  that  name,  which  he 
remembered  but  too  well,  gave  him  a  shock  which  sent  the 
blood  coursing  like  fire  through  his  veins. 

"  It  is  later  than  I  thought,  Vivien ;  we  mast  go  at  once,  if 
we  keep  that  appointment, "  a  rich,  manly  voice  said  in  reply ; 
and  turning  quickly  to  look  at  the  speaker,  Ralph  saw  a  tall, 
handsome  young  man  of  perhaps  two  or  three-and-twenty,  with 
the  head  of  an  Apollo,  the  form  of  an  Adonis,  and  having  a 
keen,  intellectual  face,  with  frank,  truthful  eyes,  and  a  pleasant, 
winning  smile. 

The  lady  who  accompanied,  and  who  addressed  him,  was  a 
year  or  two  younger  evidently,  and  almost  as  lovely  as  Star, 
Ralph  thought,  although  her  beauty  was  of  a  different  style. 

Archie  Sherbrooke !  There  surely  could  not  be  two  young 
men  of  the  same  age,  handsome  as  one  of  the  gods,  and  bear 
ing  the  same  name. 

His  heart  had  bounded  into  his  throat  as  he  heard  it  spoken, 
his  face  had  flushed  a  painful  crimson,  while  his  hands  in 
stinctively  clinched  themselves  in  hot  indignation,  and  he 
longed  to  confront  the  handsome  traitor  and  denounce  him  for 
the  villainous  part  he  had  played. 

This,  then,  must  be  the  man  who  had  broken  Star  Glad 
stone's  heart  and  ruined  her  life ;  there  was  not  a  doubt  of  it 
in  his  own  mind. 

Yes,  he  was  sure  this  was  the  Archibald  Sherbrooke  of  whom 
Star  had  told  him. 

Who,  then,  was  the  woman  who  had  been  with  him  ?  Was 
it  his  wife? 


3.8 


"YOU    ARE     THE     TRAITOR." 


He  did  not  think  she  was  his  sister,  for,  except  in  the  cole* 
of  her  hair,  she  did  not  resemble  him  in  the  least. 

Were  they  Americans,  and  traveling,  like  himself,  in  the 
kingdom  ? 

Perhaps,  if  they  were  married,  they  were  thus  spending  the 
honeymoon;  but  they  had  spoken  of  "Lady  Dunham"  in  a 
way  to  make  him  doubt  that  they  were  his  countrymen. 

Such  thoughts  as  these  tortured  him,  and  he  became  pos 
sessed  to  seek  out  the  young  man  and  discover  if  he  were  in 
deed  Star's  recreant  lover. 

The  young  lady  had  spoken  of  a  rehearsal  at  the  Albert 
Hall.  He  knew  there  was  to  be  a  concert  there  that  evening, 
and  possibly  it  might  be  an  outgrowth  of  the  rehearsal.  He 
would  go  and  see. 

Accordingly,  at  the  aour  designated  upon  the  bills,  he  went, 
armed  with  a  powerful  opera-glass,  and  procuring  a  conspicuous 
seat,  he  swept  tier  after  tier  of  faces,  searching  for  those  which 
he  had  seen  in  the  morning. 

But  disappointment  was  the  result  of  his  efforts ;  for  that  fair, 
girlish  face  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  nor  could  he  find  him  who 
had  been  the  young  lady's  attendant. 

Suddenly,  however,  a  strangely  sweet,  bird-like  voice,  rising 
clear  and  full  on  the  air,  drew  his  attention  to  the  stage,  and 
there,  with  a  thrill  which  tingled  through  every  nerve,  he  saw 
the  lovely  girl  for  whom  he  was  looking. 

Ralph  Meredith  sought  for  her  name  upon  his  programme, 
which  stated  that  the  concert  was  given,  under  the  auspices  of 
some  of  the  nobility,  for  some  charitable  object,  and  that  the 
talent  was  all  amateur. 

"  Miss  Vivien  Sherbrooke,"  he  read,  and  he  again  experienced 
that  sudden  heart-throb. 

She  was  not,  then,  Archibald  Sherbrooke's  wife,  but,  in  all 
probability,  his  sister. 

He  listened  intently  throughout  her  song;  and  then,  as  the 


"YOU    ARE    THE     TRAITOR." 

sweet  voice  died  away,  and  she  turned  to  leave  the  stage,  he 
leaned  breathlessly  forward  to  watch  her,  while  thunders  of 
applause  went  rolling  up  into  the  heights  bove  him. 

She  came  back  again  after'  a  moment,  slightly  flushed  a* 
the  encore,  but  in  a  graceful,  modest  way,  and  sang  a  simple 
ballad. 

She  was  as  sweet  and  charming  as  she  could  be,  and  when 
at  length  she  ceased  and  went  away  again,  Ralph  Meredith 
heard  a  long-drawn  breath,  as  of  relief,  directly  behind  him, 
while  a  voice  said  : 

"I  believe  Vivien  never  sang  so  well  before;  but  I  am  glad 
that  part  of  the  programme  is  over. " 

"Yes,"  replied  deeper,  but  more  familiar  tones;  "  I  was  a 
trifle  anxious  myself,  although  I  know  she  never  fails  in  what 
she  undertakes.  Vivien  is  a  jewel !" 

"You  are  right,  Archie.  So  is  my  son ;  and  I  am  surprised 
that,  at  your  age,  some  one  has  not  won  you  both  away  from 
me,"  returned  the  lady,  in  suppressed,  but  fond  and  playful 
tones. 

"You  are  not  anxious  to  get  rid  of  either  of  us,  I  hope, 
mother?" 

"No,  indeed;  and  yet  it  would  be  expected  in  the  natural 
course  of  events;  and  with  so  many  fair  maidens  and  gallant 
young  gentlemen  playing  the  agreeable  to  me,  I  cannot  but  feel 
some  curiosity  as  to  who  will  eventually  get  my  treasures." 

There  was  no  reply  to  this  speech,  but  Ralph  was  sure  he 
beard  a  sigh. 

After  a  few  moments  he  turned  and  ran  his  eye  with  seeming 
carelessness  over  the  sea  of  faces  behind  him,  glancing  at  those 
two  to  whose  conversation  he  had  just  been  listening. 

It  was  even  as  he  had  surmised  when  he  heard  that  manly 
voice. 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  sat  directly  behind  him,  and  beside 
him  a  noble,  matronly  looking  woman  whom  he  closely  re* 


320  "YOU   ARE    THE     TRAITOR." 

sembled ;  but  there  was  an  unmistakable  look  of  pain  upon 
the  young  man's  face,  and  a  wistful,  anxious  look  in  his  hand 
some  eyes. 

"Not  married,  after  all  this  time,  and  with  that  sorrowful 
face  and  bitter  sigh.  I  begin  to  think  there  may  have  been  a 
misunderstanding  of  some  kind,  instead  of  a  willful  wrong/' 
he  said  to  himself.  "He  does  not  look  like  a  man  to  prove 
treacherous  to  a  woman,"  he  added ;  "  there  is  something  noble 
and  prepossessing  about  him ;  and  yet  Star  said  she  denounced 
him  to  his  face." 

When  the  concert  was  over,  and  while  he  was  slowly  passing 
out  with  the  crowd,  some  one  at  his  side  suddenly  exclaimed : 

"Halloa,  Meredith!  where  on  earth  did  you  come  from?" 
and  a  friendly  hand  grasped  and  shook  his  with  a  vigorous 
cordiality. 

"  Alden  !  is  it  you?"  he  cried,  in  return.  "  I  might  ask  the 
same  question  of  you,  since  I  had  not  a  thought  of  seeing  you 
here ;  but  since  it  is  evident  that  we  are  both  Americans,  it  is 
safe  to  assume  that  we  came  from  'over  the  seas  and  far 
away. ' " 

"When  did  you  arrive?  Where  are  you  stopping,  and  how 
long  do  you  stay  in  London?"  demanded  Alden,  his  tongue 
going  like  a  race-horse. 

"Well,"  Ralph  returned,  laughing,  "you  mean  to  know  all 
about  me,  I  see.  I  arrived  a  week  ago  yesterday ;  I  am  stopping 
*t  the  Midland  Grand,  and  my  stay  is — indefinite." 

"Good!  but  now  I  have  found  you,  I  mean  to  keep  an  eye 
upon  you.  I  tell  you  it  sets  a  fellow  up  wonderfully  to  see  a 
home-face.  Have  you  any  other  engagement  for  this  evening?" 

"No." 

"Then  come  with  me.     I  have  an  invitation  to  Lady  Stam- 

field's  reception — and,  by  the  by,  she  does  entertain  charmingly 

—with  permission  to  bring  as  many  friends  as  I  choose.  Come ; 


"YOU   ARE     THE     TRAITOR." 


321 


my  lady  is  a  delightful  hostess,  besides  having  two  of  the  love 
liest  daughters  in  the  world." 

"Such  an  inducement  as  the  latter  I  am  unable  to  resist," 
Ralph  responded,  with  a  smile.  "I  will  come  with  pleasure." 

"You're  a  sensible  fellow,"  replied  young  Alden,  as,  linking 
his  arm  familiarly  in  that  of  his  friend,  he  led  him  away. 

Ralph  found  Stamfield  House  a  delightful  place.  Lady  Stanv 
field  all,  and  more,  than  Herbert  Alden  had  promised  him  in 
the  way  of  a  hostess,  and  the  Misses  Stamfield,  young  ladies  of 
eighteen  and  twenty,  pretty  and  talented,  and  entertaining 
enough  to  make  an  hour  or  two  pass  very  agreeably. 

He  was  very  cordially  received  upon  being  presented  by  his 
friend,  and  introduced  to  a  number  of  pleasant  people,  and  he 
began  to  think  that  he  had  not  seen  the  best  side  of  London 
after  all,  since  he  had  not  heretofore  been  favorably  impressed 
with  its  citizens. 

After  he  had  danced  two  or  three  times,  young  Alden  sought 
him  again,  and  took  him  away  to  the  billiard-room,  which,  for 
that  evening,  had  been  set  apart  for  a  smoking-room. 

"  I  want  to  introduce  you  to  some  fine  fellows,"  he  said,  on 
the  way  thither,  "  'bang  up'  boys,  we  should  say  in  America, 
who  will  give  you  a  good  time  while  you  stay  here. " 

He  found  a  dozen  or  twenty  young  men  gathered  in  the 
billiard-room,  and  was  introduced  to  several  of  them  by  his 
friend. 

He  spent  half  an  hour  very  pleasantly  there,  and  then  began 
10  think  that  it  was  time  that  he  was  getting  back  to  his  hotel, 
for  it  was  a  long  distance  from  that  portion  of  the  city. 

He  stood  by  the  billiard-table  alone  for  a  moment,  waiting 
to  bid  young  Alden  good-night,  when  suddenly  he  heard  his 
voice  at  his  elbow,  introducing  him  to  "Lord  Carrol,  of 
Carrolton. " 

He  half  put  out  his  hand,  glanced  up  at  the  stranger,  started, 


322 


"YOU    ARE     THE     TRAITOR." 


withdrew  it,  and  bowed  stiffly  to  his  lordship.      He  had  recog 
nized  Archibald  Sherbrooke ! 

The  fine,  genial  face  of  the  young  peer  clouded  at  the  act 
and  his  cool  greeting ;  but,  with  his  natural  good-breeding,  he 
appeared  not  to  heed  it,  and  expressed  his  pleasure  at  the 
meeting;  while  Alden,  the  introduction  over,  turned  away, 
leaving  them  together. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  Ralph  said,  the  not  blood  mounting 
to  his  brow,  for  his  loyal  heart  could  not  forget  Star  and  her 
wrongs,  "I  have  heard  you  addressed  twice  to-day  by  another 
name — Archibald  Sherbrooke.  Has  my  friend  made  a  mistake 
in  introducing  you  to  me  as  Lord  Carrol?" 

His  lordship  laughed,  and  his  face  cleared  instantly. 

"No,"  he  said  ;  "  I  am  both  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord 
Carrol.  I  am  troubled  with  a  plurality  of  names,  which  fre 
quently  cause  mistakes,  some  of  which  are  ludicrous,  and 
some — painful." 

This  last  statement  was  supplemented  with  a  heavy  sigh. 

"But,"  he  added,  more  lightly,  "I  will  shake  hands  with 
you  over  either,"  and  he  extended  his  hand  again. 

But  Ralph  would  not  take  it. 

He  drew  back  a  step,  and  bent  a  perplexed  look  upon  his 
companion's  face. 

"  Pardon  me  again,"  he  said  ;  "but  before  I  take  your  hand, 
allow  me  to  ask  you  a  single  question. " 

"Certainly;  a  dozen  if  you  like,"  Lord  Carrol  answered, 
haughtily,  for  Ralph's  refusal  to  take  his  hand  had  hurt  him 
keenly. 

"You  have  been  in  America?" 

"Yes." 

"You  met  there  a  young  lady  by  the  name  of  Miss  Stella 
Gladstone  ?~ 

Lord  Carrol  started  as  from  a  sudden  shock,  and  grew  pale 
to  his  lips. 


"YOU   ARE     THE     TRAITOR." 


3*3 


•'  Stella  Gladstone !  What  can  you  tell  me  of  Star  Gladstone  ?'' 
he  demanded,  hoarse  from  emotion. 

"That  her  heart  is  broken — her  life  ruined,"  Ralph  Meredith 
answered,  sternly,  for  he  knew  now  that  he  had  found  his  man, 
and  he  meant  to  show  him  no  mercy. 

He  trembled  with  excitement,  and  his  fingers  ached  to 
strangle  the  villain  and  coward  who  had  so  basely  betrayed  the 
trust  of  the  loveliest  woman  on  earth. 

"Her  life  ruined  !  Don't  tell  me  that, "Lord  Carrol  whispered, 
with  white  lips,  while  the  look  of  agony  which  leaped  to  his 
eyes  would  have  moved  the  hardest  heart,  had  it  been  less  sore 
than  Ralph  Meredith's. 

' '  Yes,  and  you  are  the  traitor  who  is  accountable  for  it, "  he 
answered,  hotly. 

The  young  man  flushed,  and  he  drew  himself  up  with  sud 
den  dignity,  struggling  to  regain  his  self-possession,  which  had 
been  sadly  disturbed  at  the  mention  of  that  dearly  loved  name. 

"You  forget  yourself,  sir,"  he  said,  haughtily.  "What  right 
have  you  to  address  me  thus  ?  Why  do  you  speak  to  me  in  this 
way  of  Miss  Gladstone,  and  arraign  me  for  what  you  assert?" 

"Why  should  I  not?"  Ralph  Meredith  demanded,  in  low, 
fierce  tones.  "  Did  she  not  tell  me  with  her  own  lips  of  your 
baseness  and  treachery  ?  And  do  you  think  that  I  can  take  the 
hand  of  the  man,  were  he  twice  a  lord,  who  has  ruined  the  life 
of" — "the  only  woman  whom  I  ever  loved,"  he  was  about  to 
add,  but  something  restrained  him  and  made  him  substitute — 
"an  angel?" 

Archibald  Sherbrooke  was  very  pale  now.  He  was  a  proud, 
brave  young  man,  and  all  the  hot  blood  in  his  composition 
had  been  aroused  by  this  sudden  and  unexpected  attack  from 
the  stranger  to  whom  he  had  been  introduced  by  a  mutual 
friend. 

He  had  uttered  words  which,  under  any  other  circumstances, 


3*4 


"YOU   ARE    THE    TRAITOR." 


would  have  made  him  fell  him  to  the  ground  and  chastise  him 
for  his  insolence. 

But  he  controlled  himself,  for  he  saw  that  Ralph  was  a  noble 
fellow,  although  he  had  constituted  himself  the  champion  of 
the  woman  whom  he  still  loved  with  a  deathless  love,  and 
meant  to  avenge  her  wrongs  if  he  was  assured  that  he  had  found 
the  right  man. 

He  reasoned,  too,  that  he  must  be  laboring  under  the  same 
mistake  of  which  Star  had  been  the  victim,  and  that  the  only 
way  to  deal  with  him  would  be  to  explain  just  how  matters 
Stood. 

Besides,  a  wild  hope  was  springing  up  in  his  heart  that 
through  him  he  might  be  able  to  find  her  whom  he  had  lost, 
and  whom  he  never  ceased  for  one  moment  to  love. 

He  laid  his  hand  on  Ralph's  arm,  and  the  young  man  felt  it 
tremble  with  the  emotion  which  thrilled  him. 

"Come  with  me,"  he  said,  in  a  low,  earnest  voice,  "where 
we  can  be  by  ourselves,  and  I  will  talk  this  matter  over  with 
you.  There  has  been  a  terrible  mistake,  and  my  two  names 
have  been  the  cause  of  it  all.  I  loved  Star  Gladstone  devotedly; 
I  love  her  to-day.  I  have  done  her  no  wrong,  as  I  will  explain 
to  you,  and  nothing  would  have  kept  me  from  her  side  if  she 
had  not  hid  herself  from  me.  Come." 

He  linked  his  arm  familiarly  within  Ralph's,  and  drew  him 
from  the  room  to  a  small  antechamber  leading  from  the  hall, 
and  shut  the  door,  while  the  young  man  was  dumb  with 
astonishment  at  what,  he  heard,  and  began  to  feel  as  if  he  had 
got  himself  into  a  very  unpleasant  predicament  by  his  rashness. 


MUTUAL    EXPLANATIONS. 


3*5 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

MUTUAL      EXPLANATIONS. 

"Have  /  made  a  mistake?  Have  I  wronged  you?"  Ralph 
Meredith  asked,  when  the  door  was  shut,  while  he  gazed 
blankly  at  his  companion,  and  feeling  convinced  in  his  heart 
that  no  man  could  show  the  emotion  which  Lord  Carrol  mani 
fested  at  the  mention  of  Star,  and  willfully  betray  her. 

"If  I  were  not  confident  that  you  had  made  a  mistake,"  his 
lordship  returned,  drawing  himself  up  with  dignity,  though  he 
was  still  very  pale  and  deeply  agitated — "if  I  did  not  believe 
that  you  share  in  the  misunderstanding  which  has  been  the 
cause  of  all  Miss  Gladstone's  trouble  and  my  own  exceeding 
sorrow,  I  could  not  pass  lightly  over  the  disparaging  imputation 
which  you  have  cast  upon  me  to-night.  I. am  no  traitor,  Mr. 
Meredith.  I  have  never  willingly  wronged  Miss  Gladstone,  for 
I  have  loved  her,  and  I  do  love  her  to-day,  with  a  deathless 
love.  My  plurality  of  names,  as  I  told  you  before,"  he  went 
on,  with  a  wan  smile,  "has  been  the  cause  of  it  all;  and  if 
Star  has  unconsciously  been  made  a  victim  on  account  of  it,  1 
also  have  suffered  in  no  small  degree.  Sit  down,  Mr.  Mere 
dith,  and  let  me  tell  you  all  about  it;"  and  he  motioned  him 
to  a  chair. 

"Not  until  I  have  apologized  for  my  rash  words  to  you,  my 
lord,"  Ralph  said,  in  a  manly,  straightforward  way,  and  ad 
vancing  to  him,  convinced  now  of  his  honor,  and  that  he  had 
never  intended  Star  even  a  thought  of  harm.  "  Miss  Gladstone," 
he  continued,  "confided  the  story  of  her  grief  to  me  only  a 
short  time  before  I  sailed  for  Europe,  although  she  did  not 
enter  into  particulars  very  minutely.  I  think  she  had  not  the 


MUTUAL    EXPLANATIONS. 

slightest  idea  that  I  should  ever  meet  you,  but  I  made  up  my 
mind  at  the  time  that  if  I  ever  did  come  in  contact  with 
'Archibald  Sherbrooke,'  which  was  the  only  name  by  which 
she  designated  you,  that  I  should  make  him  answer  for  the 
wrong  which  I  believed  he  had  done  her.  I  saw  you  to-day 
with  a  lady  in  the  chapel  of  Henry  the  Seventh,  at  Westminster 
Abbey.  I  heard  her  call  you  by  the  name  that  I  remembered 
only  too  well,  and  was  convinced  I  had  found  Miss  Gladstone's 
recreant  knight.  I  resolved  at  once  to  remain  in  London 
beyond  the  time  I  had  originally  intended,  look  you  up,  and 
call  you  to  account  for  what  you  had  done.  You  were  at  the 
concert  in  the  Albert  Hall  this  evening,  but  I  had  no  thought 
of  meeting  you  when  I  came  hither,  at  the  invitation  of  my 
friend  Alden.  You  can  imagine,  perhaps,  something  of  the 
shock  which  I  experienced  when  he  introduced  you  as  Lord 
Carrol.  This  will  explain  why  I  refused  your  hand,  and  why  I 
addressed  you  in  the  way  I  did." 

"I  cannot  blame  you  in  the  least,  under  the  circumstances," 
Lord  Carrol  returned,  smiling. 

"Your  words,  however/'  Ralph  went  on,  "regarding  the 
young  lady  in  question,  convince  me  that  you  are  entirely 
guiltless,  and  have  been  as  great  a  sufferer  from  an  unfortunate 
misunderstanding  as  herself.  I  trust  you  will  accept  my  ex 
planation,  and  also  my  hand  with  it,"  he  concluded,  extending 
his  hand  to  the  young  peer. 

Lord  Carrol  grasped  and  shook  it  warmly. 

"I  have  no  right  to  harbor  any  ill-will  toward  you  for 
espousing  so  gallantly  the  cause  of  one  who  is  very  dear  to 
me,"  he  said,  cordially;  "and  perhaps,  after  all,  this  meeting, 
which  at  first  promised  to  end  in  a  stormy  manner,  may  be  the 
means  of  restoring  happiness  to  two  very  unhappy  people." 

"I  feel  assured  that  such  will  be  the  case,"  Ralph  answered, 
but  there  was  a  keen  pain  in  his  heart,  notwithstanding. 

Lord  Carrol  now  wheeled  a  chair  forward  and  made  him  sit 


MUTUAL    EXPLANATION'S. 


327 


down ;  then,  taking  another  near  him,  he  related  in  substance 
what  he  had  already  told  Mr.  Richards  regarding  his  relations 
with  Star,  the  erroneous  conclusions  she  had  jumped  at  upon 
learning  of  his  title,  her  refusal  to  allow  him  to  explain  his 
position  to  her,  and  her  flight  on  the  morning  after  her  painful 
discovery. 

Ralph  Meredith  found  it  hard  to  conceal  the  bitterness  which 
he  experienced,  as  he  realized  how  gladly  Star  would  give  her 
self  to  her  manly  lover  when  she  learned  of  his  fidelity.  His 
heart  was  still  sore  over  his  recent  disappointment,  but  his 
nature  was  too  noble,  he  was  too  generous  in  his  love  for  her, 
to  wish  to  place  a  single  obstacle  in  the  way  of  her  happiness, 
or  of  the  man  whom  he  now  deemed  worthy  of  her  in  every 
respect. 

He  gave  Lord  Carrol  a  history  of  Star's  life  during  the  last 
year,  telling  him  of  her  success  as  a  young  authoress,  and  of 
the  happy  change  in  her  worldly  circumstances  as  the  acknowl 
edged  ward  and  heiress  of  Jacob  Rosevelt,  the  millionaire.  He 
spoke  also  of  the  admiration  which  her  grace  and  beauty  had 
excited  during  the  past  season  at  Newport. 

"I  am  glad,"  Archibald  Sherbrooke  said,  earnestly,  and  his 
lip  trembled  as  he  spoke,  "that  her  life  has  been  made  so 
much  brighter  during  the  past  year,  and  I  shall  always  be  grate 
ful  to  Mr.  Rosevelt  for  his  kindness;  and  yet  I  am  almost 
selfish  enough  to  wish  that  /  could  have  been  the  one  to  raise 
her  to  a  more  congenial  sphere.  I  shall  go  to  the  United 
States  at  once.  I  must  seek  her  and  set  myself  right  with  her 
as  soon  as  possible.  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  give  me  Mr. 
Rosevelt's  address?'' 

"With  pleasure,"  Ralph  responded;  "but  you  will  not  find 
them  in  New  York  just  at  present,  for  they,  with  my  sister — 
who  is  a  very  intimate  friend  of  Miss  Gladstone's — are  traveling 
in  the  far  West,  and  will  not  return  under  three  or  four 
months. " 


528  MUTUAL    EXPLANATIONS. 

Lord  Carrol  looked  thoughtful  and  disappointed  at  this  in 
telligence. 

"I  must  wait,  then,"  he  said,  with  a  sigh,  "until  their  re 
turn.  The  time  will  seem  very  long,  although  I  am  greatly 
needed  here  just  now,  and  it  would  be  much  to  my  own  dis 
advantage  were  I  to  leave  before  my  affairs  are  in  a  more  settled 
state;  but  I  should  let  no  pecuniary  consideration  deter  me 
from  going  to  Star  if  I  was  sure  I  should  find  her.  However, 
I  must  submit  to  the  inevitable;  and  now,  Mr.  Meredith,"  he 
concluded,  with  a  genial  smile,  "what  can  I  do  to  make  your 
sta>  in  our  city  pleasant?  I  am  at  your  disposal  for  any  length 
of  time." 

"Thank  you,  my  lord.  My  business  will  not  permit  my 
tarrying  much  longer  just  now ;  but  I  intend  to  return  to  Lon 
don  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  months,  and  shall  hope  to 
meet  you  again  then,"  Ralph  answered. 

"I  shall  most  certainly  see  to  it  that  we  do  meet  again," 
Lord  Carrol  returned;  "and  now,  if  you  have  no  engagement 
for  to-morrow,  will  you  do  me  the  honor  to  dine  with  me?" 

"It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  do  so.  I  have  no  other 
engagement,"  Mr.  Meredith  returned. 

He  was  growing  to  admire  Star  Gladstone's  handsome  lover 
exceedingly,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  was  his  own  rival. 

' '  Thanks.  Now  come  with  me  and  let  me  introduce  you  to 
my  mother  and  sister,  who  are  both  here  at  Stamfield  House ; 
and,  Mr.  Meredith,"  the  young  lord  added,  grasping  his  hand 
again,  and  speaking  with  emotion,  "I  cannot  be  sufficiently 
grateful  to  you,  for  you  have  put  new  life  and  hope  into  my 
heart  to-night." 

Ralph  tried  to  feel  generously  glad  for  this,  but  it  was  not  in 
human  nature  not  to  experience  a  pang  over  the  happiness 
which  he  knew  was  in  store  for  him,  especially  when  he  knew, 
too,  that  it  would  be  at  the  expense  of  his  own. 


MUTUAL    EXPLANATIONS. 


3*9 


"  I  am  very  glad  if  I  have  been  able  to  atone  in  any  way  for 
my  rudeness  upon  first  meeting  you,"  he  said,  smiling  faintly. 

"Do  not  mention  it;  you  were  espousing  a  good  cause,  and 
through  your  championship  I  shall  regain  what  is  far  dearer  to 
me  than  life;  so  we  will  forget  the  unpleasantness  of  a  moment, 
and  I  trust  I  may  call  you  my  friend  in  the  future." 

Lord  Carrol  then  led  the  way  back  to  Lady  Stamfield's  draw 
ing-room,  where,  seeking  his  mother  and  sister,  he  presented 
his  new  friend  to  them. 

Mrs.  Sherbrooke  Ralph  found  to  be  a  handsome,  genial 
matron,  with  a  large  heart  and  plenty  of  Christian  charity, 
although  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  her  two  children,  in  her 
estimation,  were  perfect  in  every  respect. 

No  one  ever  before  possessed  a  more  noble  and  devoted  son  ; 
no  one  had  so  charming  a  daughter. 

Miss  Vivien  Sherbrooke  was  truly  that ;  she  was  even  more 
beautiful  than  she  had  appeared  to  be  when  he  saw  her  on  the 
stage  in  the  character  of  a  songstress. 

She  was  vivacious  and  witty,  and  exerted  herself  to  the  utmost 
to  be  entertaining  to  her  brother's  new  acquaintance,  and  Ralph 
actually  forgot  himself  and  the  haunting  pain  which  had  hitherto 
pursued  him  during  all  his  wanderings,  while  talking  with  her 
and  listening  to  her  bright  conversation,  and  watching  her 
quick,  graceful  motions. 

' '  Archie  tells  me  that  you  are  coming  to  dine  with  us  to 
morrow,  Mr.  Meredith,"  she  said,  as  her  mother  came  to  tell 
her  that  it  was  time  for  them  to  go. 

"Yes,  I  believe  I  am  to  have  that  pleasure,"  he  returned, 
with  a  glance  of  admiration  into  her  sparkling  eyes. 

"  I  am  glad,  for  I  have  a  hundred  questions  to  ask  you  about 
America  which  only  a  true  American  can  answer.  You  will  be 
sure  to  come  ?" 

*'  I  certainly  shall,"  he  replied,  thinking  that  those  clear  gray 


330       Mie.    RICHARDS'     GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 

eyes,  looking  so  frankly  and  smilingly  into  his,  were  about  as 
beautiful  as  any  he  had  ever  seen. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

MRS.  RICHARDS'  GREAT  EXPECTATIONS. 

The  following  day  Mr.  Meredith,  according  to  his  promise, 
went  to  dine  with  Lord  Carrol  at  his  mother's  elegant  mansion 
near  Belgrave  Square. 

After  the  meal  was  over,  and  the  other  guests  comfortably 
disposed  of,  Archie  took  his  friend  up  into  the  "sanctum,"  as 
he  called  it,  for  a  smoke  and  a  quiet  talk. 

If  Lord  Carrol  suspected  anything  of  the  feeling  which  Ralph 
had  entertained  for  Star,  he  gave  no  sign,  but  confided  to  him, 
as  they  sat  there  together,  more  of  his  hopes  and  plans  for  the 
future,  and  spoke  with  much  more  of  freedom  regarding  Stai 
than  he  had  done  the  day  before. 

When  they  had  finished  their  cigars,  Lord  Carrol  arose 
and  said  : 

"Come  inside,  Mr.  Meredith,  and  I  will  show  you  one  of 
my  treasures." 

He  went  back  into  his  "sanctum,"  followed  by  Ralph,  and 
passing  by  all  the  beautiful  paintings,  drawings,  and  engravings 
which  hung  upon  the  walls,  he  walked  to  an  easel  which  stood 
in  a  corner,  and  removing  a  cloth  that  covered  it,  stepped  back 
for  his  friend  to  look. 

Ralph  Meredith  gave  one  look,  and  then  exclaimed,  in  un 
feigned  surprise : 

"Star  I" 


MRS.     RICHARDS'     GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 


33* 


"Yes,  it  is  Star,"  Lord  Carrol  said,  with  a  tender  smile,  as 
he  looked  upon  the  portrait.  "I  am  glad  you  recognize  her, 
for  I  should  be  sorry  if  she  had  changed  so  much  that  you 
could  not  This  is  a  picture  which  I  love,  and  which  I  keep 
for  myself  alone.  It  is  very  seldom  that  I  show  it  to  any  one, 
and  I  have  never  told  its  history  to  any  living  being  until  I  told 
it  to  you  last  night.  As  she  stood  there  that  morning  in  hei 
modest  beauty,  severing  that  tress  at  my  request,  I  began  to 
love  her  with  a  love  that  will  never  die  while  I  live.  I  have  that 
little  lock  of  gold  here  now,  Mr.  Meredith,"  he  said,  touching 
the  diamond-studded  locket  which  hung  from  his  watch-chain, 
"and  untold  wealth  could  not  purchase  it  from  me.  Here  is 
the  cameo  also  which  I  gave  her  in  exchange,  and  of  which  I 
told  you,  too,  last  night,"  and  he  held  up  his  left  hand,  on  the 
little  finger  of  which  gleamed  the  ring  that  Josephine  Richards 
had  made  of  it  "Ah,"  he  added,  with  a  sigh,  "it  is  hard  to 
think  that  she  could  believe  me  so  false — so  treacherous  and 
cowardly,  as  to  win  her  love  and  then  cast  it  aside  as  of  no 
value. " 

"Yet  it  was  very  natural  for  her  to  think  so  under  the  cir 
cumstances,"  Ralph  returned,  thoughtfully.  "You  must  realize 
that  yourself,  for  you  say  that  on  Saturday  you  declared  your 
affection  for  her  under  the  name  of  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  and 
won  an  expression  of  her  own  for  you  in  return ;  while  on  the 
Monday  following  you  appeared  in  Mr.  Richards'  family  as  Lord 
Carrol,  who,  she  had  been  told,  was  a  suitor  for  his  daughter's 
hand.  It  does  not  seem  strange  to  me  that  she  should  think 
the  very  worst  of  you.  You  certainly  were  in  a  false  position 
before  her,  and  it  must  have  been  a  severe  blow  to  her  pride  as 
well  as  to  her  affection ;  for,  as  we  have  seen,  Miss  Gladstone  is 
not  lacking  either  in  self-respect  or  spirit. " 

"No,  I  suppose  it  is  not  strange ;  but,  oh  !  if  she  would  but 
have  given  me  one  minute,  I  could  have  convinced  her  of  her 
mistake,  and  all  the  sorrow  that  has  followed  might  have  been 


332 


MRS.    RICHARDS1     GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 


avoided,"  sighed  the  young  lord,  as,  with  another  fond  glance 
at  the  picture,  he  covered  it  again  and  turned  away. 

"You  will  be  more  successful  when  you  go  to  her  again, ' 
Ralph  said,  cheerfully. 

"  Yes, "  Archie  returned,  with  firmly  compressed  lips;  "Miss 
Gladstone  will  listen  to  me  when  I  go  to  her  again.  It  is  but 
right  that  she  should  hear  my  justification,  whether  she  receives 
it  favorably  or  otherwise. " 

"I  have  no  fear  of  the  result,"  his  guest  returned,  smiling; 
"for  Miss  Gladstone  acknowledged  to  me  that,  in  spite  of  her 
belief  in  your  unworthii^ess,  her  affection  fo*  you  remained 
the  same." 

A  flush  of  joy  shot  over  Lord  Carrol's  face  at  this. 

"Did  she  tell  you  that?"  he  asked,  eagerly.  "Then  I  will 
doubt  no  more ;  and  I  have  you  to  thank  for  bestowing  such 
happiness  upon  me  as  I  never  expected  to  know  again." 

They  spent  a  half  hour  longer  looking  at  other  pictures,  but 
sweet  sounds  coming  up  again  from  the  drawing-room  dis 
tracted  Ralph's  attention  and  tempted  him  below. 

"Do  I  not  hear  the  fair  songstress  of  last  night  again?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,  that  is  Vivien  singing,"  replied  her  brother. 

"I  am  very  fond  of  music;  shall  we  rejoin  the  company?" 

They  went  down,  and,  seeking  the  fair  Vivien's  side,  Ralph 
Meredith  spent  a  most  delightful  evening,  the  memory  of  which 
clung  to  him  for  many  a  week  afterward. 

The  next  morning  he  left  London  for  a  three-months'  tour 
through  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  the  Continent 

***** 

Mrs.  Richards  sat  in  her  hancoome  boudoir  one  morning  a 
few  weeks  later,  reading  a  newspaper. 

Something  had  evidently  gone  wrong  with  her,  for  her  face 
was  overcast,  an  angry  red  glowed  in  her  cheeks,  and  her  eves 
gleamed  with  a  sullen  fire. 


MRS.    RICHARDS'    GREAT   EXPECTATIONS*. 


333 


The  reason  for  this  was  the  flat  refusal,  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Richards,  to  accede  to  her  immoderate  demand  for  five  hundred 
dollars,  to  purchase  for  herself  and  Josephine  new  dresses  for 
the  coming  winter,  and  she  had  just  returned  to  her  room  after 
the  stormy  interview. 

"  I  cannot  let  you  have  a  dollar,"  he  had  said,  with  a  gravity 
almost  amounting  to  sternness,  "for  I  haven't  it  to  spare." 

"Not  a  dollar,  George!"  she  retorted,  with  a  scornful  laugh. 
"Who  ever  heard  of  anything  so  absurd?" 

"It  is  true,  nevertheless,"  he  answered,  gloomily.  "Two 
months  ago  I  expected  that  to-day  would  find  us  all  beggars." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  his  wife  gasped. 

"Just  what  I  say;  and  but  for  the  appearance  of  a  friendly 
hand  just  when  and  where  I  least  expected  it,  I  should  have 
been  obliged  to  fail,  overwhelmed  with  debt  and  disgrace,  and 
everything  we  have — house,  furniture,  horses,  and  carriages — 
would  all  have  had  to  come  under  the  hammer  of  the  auc 
tioneer.  " 

"  I  cannot  believe  it,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  growing  pale. 

"That  does  not  alter  the  fact,  however,"  her  husband  replied, 
laconically. 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me?" 

"I  did  tell  you.  I  kept  writing  to  you  when  you  were  at 
Newport,  Ellen,  that  I  could  not  long  endure  such  a  drain  upon 
my  purse  as  you  were  subjecting  it  to,  and  that  you  must  cur 
tail  your  expenses;  but  you  paid  no  heed  to  me,  launching 
instead  into  greater  extravagances." 

' '  But  I  never  dreamed  that  things  were  so  serious  as  you 
represented,"  she  said,  a  guilty  flush  mounting  to  her  forehead, 
as  she  remembered  that  all  her  lavishness  had  been  to  outshine 
Star.  "  I  never  thought  you  were  really  embarrassed,  or  I  would 
not  have  asked  for  so  much." 

"Well,  then,'  he  answered,  in  a  gentler  tone,  "show  your 
consideration  for  me  now,  for  you  and  Josephine  will  have  to 


334 


MRS.    RICHARDS'    GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 


wear  your  old  clothes  this  winter.  My  trouble  has  been  tided 
ovei  for  the  present  through  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  but  it  will 
require  great  care  and  calculation  on  nay  part  to  keep  my  head 
above  board  even  now.  1  shall  have  to  begin  cautiously,  or  I 
shall  be  back  again  in  the  slough  of  despond." 

"But  I  do  not  see  how  we  can  get  along  without  some  new 
things,"  began  Mrs.  Richards,  selfishly. 

"You  must;  that  is  all  there  is  about  it,"  returned  her  hue 
band,  positively.     "If  you  can't  go  into  society  and  wear  what 
you  have,  then  you  must  stay  at  home  this  winter;  and  I  do 
not  think  it  would  do  you  any  harm  for  once,  either." 

Mrs.  Richards  flushed  angrily.  When  she  saw  her  husband 
in  this  mood,  she  knew  there  was  no  turning  him,  and  she 
would  be  obliged  to  submit  to  his  edict 

"I'm  sure  I  do  not  see  what  can  have  happened  to  make 
you  so  penurious  all  of  a  sudden,"  she  said,  sullenly. 

"Penurious!     Oh,  Ellen!" 

He  looked  at  her  yearningly  for  a  moment 

She  was  a  handsome,  distinguished-looking  woman,  and  had 
been  a  very  fond  and  tender  wife  during  the  first  years  of 
their  married  life;  but  unlimited  indulgence,  and  constantly 
mingiir.g  in  the  fashionable  world,  had  made  her  selfish  and 
unfeeling. 

"My  dear,"  he  went  on,  after  a  moment,  "why  cannot  you 
comfort  me  a  little — give  me  a  little  sympathy  in  my  trouble? 
My  burden  has  been  very  hard  to  bear  alone,  and  the  worst  of 
it  has  been  that  I  was  obliged  to  refuse  your  requests.  You 
know  that  I  am  not  penurious — that  I  never  denied  you  any 
thing  that  I  could  possibly  grant  you.  Ellen,  I  wish  you  could 
be  a  little  more  kind  to  me  than  you  have  been  of  late." 

"I  do  not  know  anything  about  business  matters;  I  could 
a^ive  you  very  little  advice  or  comfort  in  that  way, "she  replied, 
coldly ;  and  then  she  left  him  feeling  very  miserable,  and  in 
anything  but  a  comfortable  frame  of  mind  herself,  and  not  4 


MRS.     RICHARDS'     GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 


335 


little  startled  to  know  that  they  had  been  so  near  the  brink  of 
ruin  as  he  had  represented. 

She  returned  to  her  own  room,  picking  up  the  morning 
paper,  which  lay  upon  the  hall  table,  on  her  way.  Sitting 
down,  she  ran  her  eye  carelessly  over  its  columns,  while  her 
mind  was  busy  planning  some  way  to  get  along  without  her 
accustomed  full  purse,  and  "keep  up  appearances." 

Suddenly  her  glance  was  transfixed  by  a  paragraph  which  sent 
sharp,  prickling  pains  throughout  her  body,  and  every  nerve 
quivered  with  excitement  as  she  read  : 

"  The  heirs,  or  nearest  of  kin  to  Sir  Charles  Thornton,  late  of  Halowell 
Park,  Devonshire,  England,  will  find  it  to  their  advantage  to  communicate 
«st  once  with  Compton  &  Bailey,  No.  54  Lincoln 's-inn -fields,  London." 

Just  below  this  advertisement  was  a  notice  of  the  sudden 
death  of  the  young  baronet  from  diphtheria. 

Mrs.  Richards  sat  like  one  overcome  by  some  violent  shock 
for  a  few  moments  after  reading  this  account  Then  springing 
to  her  feet,  and  taking  the  paper  with  her,  she  went  back  in 
hot  haste  to  her  husband,  her  cheeks  crimson,  her  eyes  glowing 
with  agitation. 

' '  If  what  I  suspect  should  prove  to  be  true,  the  dream  of  my 
life  will  be  realized.  Sir  George  and  Lady  Richards  would 
sound  very  well,  indeed,"  she  murmured  as  she  went 

Her  husband  looked  up  as  she  entered,  and  she  was  startled 
as  she  noticed  how  pale  and  care-worn  his  face  had  become ; 
but  she  was  too  eager  to  communicate  her  news  to  pay  much 
heed  to  it 

"George,"  she  said,  eagerly,  "read  this!" 

She  laid  the  paper  before  him  as  she  spoke,,  and  pointed  to 
the  paragraph  which  had  excited  her  so. 

"  Well,  I  have  read  it,  but  I  do  not  understand  it;  I  do  not 
know  anything  about  Sir  Charles  Thornton, "  he  returned,  in 
differently. 

"What  are  you  thinking  of,  George  Richards  I"  cried  his 


33^ 


MRS.    RICHARDS'     GREAT   EXPECTATIONS. 


wife,  impatiently.  "My  mother  was  half-sister  to  Sir  Charles 
Thornton's  mother.  Sir  Charles  had  no  family;  there  are  no 
other  relatives  to  be  found  on  either  side,  it  seems,  or  his 
lawyers  would  not  have  advertised  thus,  and  I  believe  that  /am 
'the  nearest  of  kin."1 

"Nonsense,  Ellen !  Don't  get  such  a  wild  idea  as  that  into 
your  head,  for  you  will  surely  be  disappointed,"  Mr.  Richards 
answered,  skeptically. 

"I  don't  know  about  that  But  one  thing  I  have  long 
known,  and  that  is  that  the  Thornton  branch  of  the  family  is 
nearly,  if  not  quite,  extinct  It  is  evident  that  no  heirs  are  to 
be  found  in  England,  or  Compton  &  Bailey  would  not  have 
advertised  in  the  United  States  papers,"  she  returned,  feeling 
more  and  more  sure  in  her  own  mind  that  her  first  impressions 
had  not  been  at  fault 

"That  is  a  good  argument,  truly,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  with 
sudden  interest,  and  then  began  to  question  his  wife,  and  to 
examine  more  closely  into  the  matter. 

The  result  was  that  the  next  steamer  bore  a  long  letter  to 
Compton  &  Bailey,  No.  54  Lincoln's-inn-fields,  stating  Mrs. 
Richards'  relationship  to  Sir  Charles  Thornton,  of  Halowell 
Park,  Devonshire,  together  with  proofs  of  what  they  asserted. 

A  month  passed,  and  they  had  begun  to  think  they  had  been 
nourishing  a  chimera,  when,  one  day,  there  came  an  answer 
from  Compton  &  Bailey,  saying  that  they  had  faithfully  studied 
the  chronological  tables  of  both  sides  of  the  Thornton  family, 
and  had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  Mrs.  Richards  was  un 
doubtedly  the  nearest  of  kin  to  the  late  Sir  Charles. 

They  stated  that  they  had  been  advertising  for  a  long  time  in 
English  papers,  and  no  one  had  presented  any  claim.  They 
had  then  concluded  to  publish  a  similar  notice  in  the  American 
papers,  and  as  it  had  met  with  no  other  response,  they  would 
undoubtedly  decide  the  matter  in  favor  of  her. 

However,  they  suggested  that  she  come  to  London  at  once, 


JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION.  337 

AS  they  could  conclude  better  what  to  do  after  a  persanal  in 
terview/ 

"If  it  should  prove  a  'wild-goose  chase, 'as  I  fear  it  will,  I 
can  ill  afford  the  expense  of  the  trip,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  when 
considering  the  question. 

But  his  wife  was  all  enthusiasm,  as  well  as  very  sanguine 
regarding  the  result,  and  it  was  at  length  decided  that  they 
should  sail  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  preparations  were  at  once 
begun  for  the  voyage. 

Mrs.  Richards  merely  remarked  to  her  friends,  when  inform 
ing  them  of  their  plans,  that  Mr.  Richards  was  not  well ;  they 
all  wanted  a  change,  and  had  resolved  to  try  what  a  trip  across 
the  Atlantic  would  do  for  them.  Not  one  word  was  breathed 
regarding  her  expectations,  however. 

"If  I  am  successful,  there  will  be  time  enough  then  to  make 
it  public ;  if  I  am  not,  no  one  shall  ever  be  able  to  crow  over 
my  disappointment,"  she  said,  cautiously,  to  her  husband; 
although  in  her  own  mind  she  had  not  a  doubt  as  to  the  issue 
of  the  matter,  while  already  visions  of  a  title  and  a  life  among 
the  nobility  of  England,  presentation  at  court,  a'nd  a  marriage 
in  high  life  for  Josephine,  were  taking  shape  in  her  head. 


CHAPTER  XXXVL 
JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION. 

Mrs.  Richards'  vision  of  magnificence  bade  fair  to  be  realized ; 
for,  upon  arriving  in  London  in  November,  she  and  her  family 
were  most  courteously  received  by  the  firm  of  Compton  &  Bailey, 
who  assured  her  that  her  credentials  and  proofs  of  her  relation 
ship  to  Sir  Charles  were  incontestable. 


338  JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION. 

"I  do  not  see,  madam,  anything  to  prevent  you  from  taking 
possession  of  the  property,"  Mr.  Compton  said,  in  his  most 
affable  tones.  "Your  identity  is  proved  beyond  a  question  as 
the  cousin  or  half-cousin  of  Sir  Charles,  and,  as  far  as  we  have 
been  able  to  learn,  you  are  the  only  living  relative.  Lord 
William  Thornton — Sir  Charles'  father — had  a  younger  brother, 
but  he  left  his  home  years  ago  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  the 
heathen,  and  has  never  been  heard  of  since ;  so  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  he  also  is  dead,  and,  as  he  was  unmarried,  of 
course  left  no  issue.  It  will  take  a  month  or  so  to  get  things 
in  order  for  you,  and  if  at  the  end  of  that  time  everything 
remains  as  it  is  now,  you  can  then  take  possession  of  your 
estate,  and  I  am  very  happy  to  offer  my  congratulations  upon 
your  good  fortune. " 

Mrs.  Richards'  face  glowed  with  pride  and  happiness ;  Jose 
phine  was  jubilant,  while  Mr.  Richards  was  too  astonished  to 
be  able  to  really  appreciate  this  sudden  turning  of  fortune's 
wheel  in  their  favor. 

1  he  rent-roll  of  Halowell  Park  was  fifty  thousand  pounds  or 
more  per  annum ;  then  there  was  a  fine  residence  in  London, 
and  a  sea-side  resort  at  Cowes. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  fortune,  coming  just  at  that  time  of  need, 
calculated  to  turn  one's  head,  so  to  speak. 

"  It  is  too  good  to  be  true,"  Mr.  Richards  said,  with  a  doubt 
ful  shake  of  the  head.  ' '  Ellen,  we  don't  deserve  any  such  good 
fortune,"  he  added,  remorsefully,  as  his  mind  went  back  to 
their  treatment  of  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Star. 

"Nonsense,  George!"  she  retorted,  scornfully.  "We  deserve 
whatever  we  can  get,  and  I  mean  to  enjoy  this  windfall  to  the 
utmost.  I  reckon  that  jade  will  find  it  hard  work  to  outshine 
us  after  this,  and  Uncle  Jacob's  grand  airs  won't  trouble  me 
in  the  least  in  the  future.  I  shall  go  down  to  Halowell  Park 
this  week,  see  for  myself  what  kind  of  a  place  it  is,  and  what 
repairs  and  improvements  are  needed  on  the  estate, "  she  con- 


JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION. 

eluded,  ready  to  spend  money  with  her  accustomed  energy  and 
lavishness. 

Accordingly,  in  a  few  days  they  repaired  thither,  and  were 
charmed  with  the  grand  old  place. 

On  their  return  to  London  they  visited  the  late  Sir  Charles' 
town  house,  and  found  that  in  keeping  with  the  estate  in  Devon 
shire,  and  surely  their  prospects  appeared  to  be  as  bright  as  they 
or  any  one  could  wish. 

One  evening  Mr.  Compton,  the  lawyer,  who  was  one  of  the 
first  among  his  profession  in  the  city,  invited  them  to  his 
mansion  to  meet  some  of  his  friends,  and  they  were  introduced 
to  a  number  of  people  who  frequented  the  highest  circles  in 
the  great  city. 

Among  others,  they  met  Lady  Sherbrooke  and  her  charming 
daughter,  Vivien,  and  who,  they  were  not  long  in  discovering, 
greatly  to  their  joy,  were  the  mother  and  sister  of  Lord  Carrol 

Mrs.  Richards  was  exultant  over  this  piece  of  good  luck,  as 
she  deemed  it,  and  tried  to  make  herself  very  agreeable  to  her 
ladyship,  while  Josephine  sought  to  ingratiate  herself  with  the 
younger  lady. 

"I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  your  son,  Lord  Carrol,  when 
he  was  in  America,"  Mrs.  Richards  remarked,  during  her  con 
versation  with  the  young  lord's  mother. 

"  Indeed  !"  she  said,  looking  interested  at  once,  for  her  chil 
dren  were  an  all-absorbing  topic  at  any  time  with  her. 

"Yes;  we  first  met  him  at  Long  Branch,  a  fashionable 
-.vatering-place,  and  he  afterward  favored  us  with  a  visit  of  a  few 
days  at  our  country-seat,  in  Yonkers. " 

Mrs.  Richards  was  determined  to  make  the  most  out  of  the 
advantages  she  had  enjoyed. 

"Ah,  yes,  I  believe  he  has  told  me  something  about  it,"  the 
lady  responded,  while  she  thought  that  if  such  was  the  case  she 
must  arrange  in  some  way  to  return  the  compliment  thus  paid 
to  her  idolized  son. 


JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITIOtf. 

If  they  were  successors  to  Sir  Charles  Thornton,  they  would 
occupy  no  mean  position  in  the  social  world,  she  reasoned,  and 
it  would  be  no  more  than  right  to  cultivate  their  acquaintance, 
while  she  could  but  acknowledge  that  Mrs.  Richards  was  quite 
a  superior  appearing  woman,  and  Josephine  possessed  beauty 
of  a  very  brilliant  type. 

The  half  hour  that  she  spent  conversing  with  Mrs.  Richards 
only  served  to  strengthen  the  good  opinion  she  had  at  first 
formed,  and  before  they  left  Mr.  Compton's  she  had  arranged 
with  them  to  spend  a  portion  of  the  following  week  at  their 
estate  in  Cheshire. 

This  was  more  than  Mrs.  Richards  had  expected,  but  she 
plumed  herself  upon  her  tact  in  managing  things  so  cleverly, 
and  looked  forward  to  the  visit  with  no  small  amount  of 
interest. 

The  next  day,  through  Lady  Sherbrooke's  influence,  she  re 
ceived  cards  for  a  grand  reception  at  Lady  Tukesbury's,  who 
resided  in  a  palatial  mansion  in  Piccadilly,  and  she  felt  assured 
that  they  were  now  fully  launched  upon  a  brilliant  career. 

Of  course  they  accepted  the  invitation,  she  appearing  in  black 
velvet,  point  lace,  and  diamonds,  while  Josephine  was  resplen 
dent  in  rich  white  silk  and  scarlet  verbenas,  and  created  quite  a 
sensation  in  "  Japonica-dom,"  greatly  to  her  mother's  delight 
and  her  own  satisfaction. 

"Who  is  she?  Where  did  she  come  from?"  was  whispered 
©n  all  sides. 

"An  American?  Ah!  that  accounts  for  her  brilliant  style 
of  beauty,  then.  Inherit  Sir  Charles  Thornton  estates,  do  they? 
In  that  case  they  will  be  quite  an  acquisition  to  society,"  were 
the  opinions  expressed  and  the  conclusions  arrived  at  by  people 
who  were  careful  in  such  matters ;  and  then  seekers  for  intro 
ductions — and  seekers  for  fortunes — pressed  forward  for  an  in 
troduction  to  the  beautiful  young  heiress. 

But  notwithstanding  Josephine  enjoyed  herself,  and  felt  no 


JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION.  341 

small  degree  of  pride  at  receiving  these  attentions  from  lords 
and  baronets,  she  found  herself  looking  everywhere  for  one 
familiar  form,  one  dark,  handsome  face,  which  she  had  never 
forgotten,  and  which  she  knew  she  should  recognize  anywhere 
and  under  any  circumstances. 

"  Mamma,  I  wonder  if  Lord  Carrol  is  here?"  she  whispered, 
when  once  during  the  evening  they  happened  to  be  together. 

"I  don't  know;  I  will  ask  Lady  Sherbrooke  if  I  have  an 
opportunity, "  she  replied. 

She  managed  to  get  near  her  ladyship  soon  after,  and  asked : 

"Is your  son  out  of  town,  Lady  Sherbrooke?" 

"No;  he  is  not  out  of  town.  He  had  another  engagement 
to-night,  but  he  said  he  would  drop  in  in  season  to  take  us 
home,"  Lord  Carrol's  mother  returned.  "Ah  !  there  he  is  now," 
she  added,  as  she  saw  him  approaching,  and  her  face  lighted 
with  both  pride  and  pleasure. 

He  appeared  to  be  greatly  surprised  to  find  Mrs.  Richards 
there,  but  greeted  her  politely,  although  she  felt  the  restraint  in 
his  manner  which  he  could  not  quite  conceal. 

She  beckoned  to  Josephine,  who  was  not  far  distant,  and 
presented  her,  with  a  feeling  of  pride  in  her  brilliant  beauty 
that  she  did  not  try  to  hide. 

He  shook  hands  with  her,  though  his  face  flushed  as  he 
remembered  the  awkward  position  in  which  she  had  placed  him 
at  Yonkers  by  misrepresenting  the  motive  of  his  visit  there. 

"You  did  not  come  to  see  us  again  before  leaving  America, 
after  all,"  she  said,  in  tones  of  playful  reproach,  when  they  had 
exchanged  greetings. 

"No;  my  time  was  so  fully  occupied  that  I  found  it  im 
possible  to  make  any  calls,"  he  returned,  a  shade  of  sadness 
coming  into  his  fine  eyes  as  he  thought  of  haw  his  time  had 
been  employed  and  the  unhappiness  it  had  caused  him. 

"You  received  my  little   package,   I  perceive,"  Josephine 


342  JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION. 

said,  glancing  at  the  cameo  upon  his  hand,  and  with  a  flush 
rising  to  her  cheeks. 

"Yes;  did  you  not  receive  my  acknowledgment  of  it?"  he 
asked,  in  surprise. 

"  No ;  I  have  never  heard  anything  from  you,"  she  answered, 
with  downcast  eyes. 

"But  I  wrote,  thanking  you.  You  must  have  thought  me 
lacking  in  courtesy, "  Lord  Carrol  said,  regretfully. 

"No — but — Lord  Carrol,  theie  has  been  a  misunderstanding 
about  that  jewel  from  the  first.  I  really  do  not  know  what  you 
believe  regarding  it,  for  your  note  was  somewhat  ambiguous, 
and  I  trust  you  will  allow  me  to  explain  more  fully  to  you 
sometime  how  I  happened  to  have  it,"  Josephine  replied,  with 
an  appealing  glance  at  him  from  her  brilliant  dark  eyes. 

He  bowed  somewhat  coldly  in  return.  He  could  not  forget 
that  his  darling  had  said  that  she  stole  it  from  her — that  one 
little  treasure  which  she  had  prized  more  than  anything  else  in 
the  world,  and  there  could  be  no  excuse  for,  no  explanation  of, 
an  act  so  cowardly  and  cruel,  he  thought. 

"I  presume  you  have  heard  that  we  have  come  to  reside  in 
England,"  the  artful  girl  continued,  desiring  to  change  the  topic 
«f  conversation,  yet  determined  to  keep  him  by  her  side. 

"So  I  have  been  told.  How  do  you  like  England  and 
English  people  so  far?"  he  asked. 

"Very  much.  We  have  been  down  to  Halowell  Park,  where 
we  expect  to  reside  most  of  the  year,  and  it  is  delightful  there. 
I  hope  now  that  we  shall  sometime  see  your  home,  of  which 
you  have  told  us  so  much.  We  intend  to  become  familiar  with 
all  of  England." 

"  I  little  thought  that  day  at  Long  Branch,  when  Mrs.  Rich 
ards  was  telling  me  that  you  were  relatives  of  Sir  Charles 
Thornton,  that  you  would  eventually  become  his  heirs,"  Lord 
Carrol  said,  ignoring  her  evident  desire  that  he  should  invite  her 


JOSEPHINE'S    AMBITION.  343 

to  visit  his  home,  and  little  dreaming  that  such  an  invitation 
had  already  been  given  by  his  mother. 

"  Mamma  thought  of  it,  however,  although  she  did  not  really 
expect  anything  of  the  kind.  Do  you  remember  her  asking 
you  if  Sir  Charles  had  any  family  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  she  knew  that  there  were  very  few  relatives,  and  she 
did  wonder  then  who  would  inherit  the  estates  if  he  should  die 
childless.  But  it  seems  like  some  romantic  tale  to  me.  I  can 
scarcely  realize  it  even  yet." 

"How  does  English  society  compare  with  American,  in  your 
opinion  ?"  Lord  Carrol  asked,  glancing  over  the  brilliant  throng 
around  them. 

"I  am  sure,  my  lord,  I  should  not  presume  to  judge  upon 
so  short  an  experience,"  Josephine  answered,  modestly,  yet  her 
glance  told  him  that  she  admired  one  Englishman  excessively. 

"/should  judge,"  he  said,  smiling,  "if  I  could  form  any 
opinion  from  the  court  which  I  saw  you  holding  as  I  entered, 
that  you  would  be  considered  quite  an  acquisition  in  London 
circles. " 

He  did  not  say  that  he  should  consider  her  such,  and  a  thrill 
of  pain  shot  through  her  heart  at  his  indifference ;  but  she  ap 
peared  to  take  it  as  a  personal  compliment  from  him,  and 
answered,  with  a  shy  look  : 

' '  Thank  you ;  I  find  it  very  pleasant  to  be  here,  at  all 
events. " 

Her  tone,  her  glance,  and  the  emphasis  which  she  threw 
into  that  last  sentence,  would  have  turned  half  the  heads  in  that 
room,  but  they  did  not  move  him  in  the  least. 

He  was  constantly  thinking  of  a  fair,  sweet  face,  framed  in 
gold ;  of  azure  eyes,  with  white  lids  and  long,  curling  lashes, 
and  smiling  coral  lips,  with  the  gleam  of  small  white  teeth  be 
tween  ;  of  his  bright,  beautiful  Star — the  light  of  his  life. 

He  was  thinking  of  that  day  when  they  drove  on  the  beach 


344  JOSEPHINE  'S    AMBITION. 

at  Coney  Island,  when  he  had  told  her  of  his  love,  and  won 
her  promise  to  be  his  wife;  how  she  had  called  him  "Archie" 
in  those  sweet,  low  tones,  which  had  made  his  heart  thrill  with 
an  ecstasy  it  had  never  known  before ;  while  this  proud,  bril 
liant  girl  had  no  power  to  stir  even  a  feeling  of  friendship  in 
his  breast 

She  kept  him  at  her  side  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  and 
then  she  was  obliged  to  release  him,  and  fulfill  an  engagement 
to  dance. 

But  her  heart  was  full  of  a  passionate  longing  to  win  his 
love;  he  had  never  appeared  so  grand  and  manly  to  her  before; 
and  as  she  stood  before  her  glass  that  night,  after  her  return 
from  Lady  Tukesbury's  reception,  and  removed  the  flowers  from 
her  hair  and  bosom,  she  said,  while  she  set  her  small  white 
teeth  resolutely  together: 

"I  will  move  heaven  and  earth  to  win  him ;  I  will  bend  all 
my  energies  to  become  Lady  Carrol.  A  whole  year  has  passed 
and  he  has  not  married ;  there  was  not  even  any  one  present 
to-night  to  whom  he  paid  particular  attention,  and  it  cannot  be 
possible  that  he  is  still  grieving  for  that  milk-and-water  beauty, 
Star  Gladstone.  No;  I  have  the  field  clear  to  myself,  and  I 
swear  I  will  yet  be  Countess  of  Carrol. " 

"But  suppose  he  is  not  to  be  won — suppose  you  fail  in  what 
you  have  sworn  to  accomplish  by  fair  means  or  foul  ?"  whispered 
something  within,  with  such  startling  distinctness  that  it  almost 
seemed  like  a  human  voice. 

"If  I  fail!"  she  repeated,  growing  white  to  her  very  lips. 
"If  I  cannot  win  the  man  whom  I  love  with  my  whole  soul, 
then  " — and  there  was  a  look  of  wretchedness,  almost  of  despair, 
in  her  midnight  eyes  at  the  thought — ' '  then  I  will  marry  soma 
poor  fool  who  shall  lose  his  head  over  my  pretty  face,  and  be 
lady  somebody  else." 


THE    MOCK   MARRIAGE. 


34$ 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE     MOCK     MARRIAGE. 

When  Lady  Sherbrooke  informed  her  son  that  she  had  invited 
}Ir.  Richards  and  his  family  to  spend  the  following  week  with 
them  at  their  country  residence,  and  to  help  them  make  merry 
with  a  number  of  their  friends,  his  face  had  clouded  instantly, 
and  she  saw  that  he  was  not  pleased  with  the  arrangement. 

"Have  I  done  anything  wrong,  Archie?"  she  asked,  much 
disturbed.  "I  thought  you  would  be  pleased.  They  spoke 
of  your  spending  several  days  with  them  when  you  were  in 
America,  and  I  supposed  you  would  be  glad  to  return  the 
civility. " 

His  lips  had  curled  slightly  when  she  had  mentioned  that 
they  had  told  of  his  visit  to  Yonkers.  He  thought  they  should 
have  preferred  to  keep  it  to  themselves,  rather  than  boast  of  it 
in  order  to  get  a  return,  under  the  circumstances. 

But  he  said  nothing  of  this,  and  answered,  as  brightly  as 
he  could  : 

"  No,  mother  dear ;  you  have  done  nothing  wrong,  and  I  will 
try  and  make  myself  as  agreeable  as  possible  to  your  guests. 
But  I  must  confess  that  neither  Mrs.  nor  Miss  Richards  is 
agreeable  to  me." 

"Why,  Archie?" 

"I  would  prefer  to  say  nothing  more  just  now,  since  they 
are  coming  to  visit  us.  Perhaps  sometime  I  can  tell  you  why," 
he  answered,  thoughtfully. 

"I  am  sorry,"  Lady  Sherbrooke  returned,  regretfully,  while 
she  studied  her  son's  face  wistfully.  "I  wish  I  had  known  of 
this  in  season  tc  have  avoided  anything  so  extremely  unpleasant 


346  THE    MOCK   MARRIAGE. 

But  they  were  so  profuse  in  their  praises  of  you  that  I  supposed 
of  course  that  you  reciprocated  their  friendliness. " 

"Never  mind,"  he  said,  lightly;  "a  week  will  not  be  very 
long.  No  doubt  Miss  Richards — who,  I  admit,  is  a  very  bril 
liant  girl — will  be  a  great  addition  to  your  party,  and  I  would 
not  have  any  little  whim  of  mine  mar  it  for  the  world." 

' '  Archie,  did  you  ever — "  began  his  mother,  with  a  startled, 
rueful  glance  at  him,  as  it  suddenly  came  to  her  that  there 
might  be  a  more  serious  reason  for  this  than  she  had  dreamed. 

But  he  interrupted  her,  with  a  laugh. 

"No,  mother;  I  never  did,"  he  said,  with  an  amused  gleam 
in  his  eyes.  "And  now  ask  me  nothing  more  at  present,  please; 
but  when  your  guests  are  all  gone,  I  have  a  little  story  for  your 
ear,  and  shall  want  a  share  of  sympathy  and  counsel  from  your 
wise  head  and  great  heart" 

Cheshire  House,  situated  about  a  dozen  miles  out  from  Lon 
don,  and  so  called  because  it  overlooked  a  little  village  which, 
at  that  time,  bore  that  name,  was  filled  to  overflowing  during 
the  following  week,  and  everybody  appeared  to  anticipate  a 
season  of  intense  enjoyment. 

We  cannot  follow  the  gay  company  in  all  their  enjoyments, 
but  it  was  an  eventful  time,  during  which  the  hospitable  hostess 
and  her  lovely  daughter,  assisted  by  Lord  Carrol,  spared  no 
effort  to  make  it  a  memorable  one ;  and  when,  right  in  the 
midst  of  it  all,  Ralph  Meredith  came  by  special  invitation,  one, 
*t  least,  of  that  merry  number  felt  that  everything  was  com 
plete,  and  nothing  more  to  be  wished  for. 

The  last  night  of  their  stay  there  had  been  set  apart  for  a 
*reat  time. 

Invitations  had  been  sent  in  every  direction  through  the 
county,  bidding  all  the  young  people  to  gather  there  and  make 
iierry  in  their  own  way. 

The  evening  was  to  be  spent  in  games,  private  theatricals, 


')HE    MOCK    MARRIAGE. 


347 


ami  masquerade  until  twelve  o'clock,  after  which  hour  they 
were  to  "trip  the  light  fantastic  toe"  as  long  as  they  liked. 

J.t  was  a  merry,  merry  time  indeed,  and  everybody  seemed  to 
vie  with  his  neighbor  to  see  who  could  contribute  most  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  occasion. 

Vivien  Sherbrooke  and  Josephine  Richards  were  declared  by 
each  and  all  to  be  the  belles  of  the  evening,  notwithstanding 
they  were  entirely  different  in  the  style  of  their  beauty. 

The  former  wore  a  dress  of  rose-colored  silk,  with  overdress 
of  tulle  looped  with  roses.  Ropes  of  pearls  were  wound  around 
her  fair  neck  and  arms  and  twined  in  her  shining  brown  hair. 
Her  clear  gray  eyes  gleamed  with  a  brighter  luster  than  usual, 
a  deeper  flush  was  on  her  cheeks,  and  her  lips  wreathed  with 
happier  smiles. 

Josephine  was  in  simple  white,  with  not  an  atom  of  color  to 
relieve  it  A  peculiarly  dainty  dress  of  come  soft  clinging 
rtuff  fell  in  matchless  folds  of  grace  around  her  lithe  form, 
with  rare,  costly  lace  for  garniture,  and  great  poppies,  in  which 
diamonds  glistened  like  drops  of  dew,  fastened  on  her  breast 
and  in  her  hair. 

This  spotless  toilet  was  wonderfully  becoming  to  her  clear, 
dark  complexion,  and  her  mother's  heart  swelled  with  pride  as 
she  looked  upon  her  and  knew  that  she  was  the  most  dis 
tinguished-looking  girl  among  all  that  company  of  aristocrats. 

"She  cannot  fail  to  win  a  high  position,  in  the  world,"  she 
said  to  herself,  as  she  saw  several  titled  men  hovering  about  her 
and  hanging  upon  her  smiles.  "  If  she  fail  to  win  Lord  Carrol 
— if  he  remains  blind  to  her  charms — there  are  plenty  of  others, 
thank  Heaven,  who  will  appreciate  her.  There  is  his  grace,  the 
Duke  of  Anerby,  who  admires  her  very  much,  and  it  would  he 
very  nice  to  be  able  to  say  'my  daughter,  the  Duchess  of 
Anerby ;'  but  I'm  afraid  she  loves  Lord  Carrol  altogether  too 
well,"  she  concluded,  with  a  sigh. 

There  could  not  be  much  doubt  regarding  Josephine's  senti- 


548 


THE    MOCK   MARRIAGE, 


ments  toward  his  lordship,  for,  as  they  stood  for  a  few  moments 
together  beneath  an  arch  of  evergreen  which  had  been  erected 
at  one  end  of  the  hall,  her  face  was  raised  to  his,  as  she 
listened  to  what  he  was  saying,  with  a  tender,  almost  rapt  ex 
pression,  and  her  eyes  were  humid  with  the  love  which  filled 
her  heart  for  him. 

He  thought  that  she  had  never  appeared  to  so  much  ad 
vantage  as  now.  During  all  her  stay  at  Cheshire  House  she 
had  been  more  kind  and  gentle,  more  womanly  than  he  had 
ever  seen  her  before;  and  now  he  lingered  by  her  side,  real 
izing  how  very  beautiful  she  was,  and  feeling  almost  as  if  he 
had  wronged  her  in  the  past  by  judging  her  so  harshly,  and 
his  manner  involuntarily  became  more  gracious  and  friendly 
toward  her. 

She  saw  it,  and  it  made  her  heart  bound  with  a  wild  hope, 
and  she  became  so  radiant,  so  fascinating  and  bewildering,  that 
he  wondered  if  he  had  indeed  been  nourishing  an  unjust  preju 
dice  against  her. 

Lady  Sherbrooke  saw  them  standing  there,  apparently  ob 
livious  of  everything  and  everybody  else,  and  an  anxious  look 
shot  into  her  face,  for  she  had  studied  Miss  Richards  during  her 
unguarded  moments  the  past  week,  reading  her  character  like 
an  open  book  with  her  womanly  intuition,  and  she  knew  that 
she  would  never  make  a  good  man  happy;  she  would  never 
yield  that  wifely  self-sacrifice  which  was  necessary  to  domestic 
enjoyment;  and  seeing  how  passing  fair  she  was  to-night,  she 
dreaded  her  influence  over  her  idolized  son,  notwithstanding 
what  he  had  already  told  her. 

Suddenly  one  merry  sprite  appeared  to  be  possessed  by  a 
novel  idea  of  some  kind,  and  went  flitting  about  the  room, 
whispering,  laughing,  and  making  signs  at  the  pair  under  the 
evergreen  arch. 

The  company,  who  were  mostly  young  people,  appeared  to 
join  in  with  her  proposals,  whatever  they  were,  and  at  length 


THE    MOCK  MARRIAGE. 


349 


she  danced  gayly  up  to  Lord  Carrol  and  Josephine,  saying, 
eagerly : 

' '  Archie " — she  had  known  him  all  her  life,  and  being  in« 
timate  in  the  family,  felt  privileged  to  address  him  thus — 
"Archie,  we  have  been  arranging  such  capital  fun,  and  we 
want  you  to  agree  to  help  us  in  it." 

"Certainly  I  will  assist  you.  You  know  you  are  to  do 
exactly  as  you  like  to-night,  and  get  all  the  enjoyment  you  can 
out  of  this  occasion." 

"Oh,  you  are  perfectly  delightful !  Isn't  he,  Miss  Richards?'' 
returned  the  merry  girl,  with  a  glance  at  Josephine,  and  the 
look  which  that  young  lady  shot  at  him,  half  startled  but 
wholly  admiring,  together  with  the  flush  which  leaped  into 
her  cheeks,  answered  the  question  better  than  any  words  could 
have  done. 

' '  Well,  granted  that  I  am  all  that, "  Lord  Carrol  said,  laugh 
ing,  "what  next?" 

"We  are  going  to  have  a  mock  marriage;  everybody  has 
agreed  that  it  will  be  something  new  under  the  sun,  and  we're 
just  in  the  mood  for  a  wedding  or  anv  event  equally  exciting. 
It  is  almost  on  the  stroke  of  twelve,  and  it  will  be  just  the  thing 
to  wind  up  with  before  we  begin  our  dancing. 

"Don't  you  think  it  will  seem  like  trifling  with  a  serious 
subject?"  Lord  Carrol  asked,  rather  gravely. 

"Oh,  no.  Of  course  we  do  not  mean  anything  wrong;  it  is 
only  for  a  little  fun,  and  we  do  so  want  a  bride  to  lead  off  in 
the  dance,"  replied  the  thoughtless  girl. 

"Well,"  the  young  man  returned,  lightly,  "anything  you 
like,  only  do  not  let  the  ceremony  be  too  tedious,  for  I  am 
ready  for  my  dance,  and  I  believe  I  shall  ask  you  to  be  my 
first  partner,  Minnie.  But  who  are  you  going  to  have  for 
victims?"  he  concluded,  unsuspicious  of  the  trap  he  was  walk 
ing  into. 

"  Oh,  you're  to  be  groom,  and  Miss  Richards  the  bride.    She 


350 


THE    MOCK   MARRIAGE. 


is  the  only  one  in  the  room  who  is  dressed  all  in  white,  as  a 
bride  should  be,  and  this  green  arch  is  just  the  place  for  the 
ceremony  to  be  performed." 

Lord  Carrol  felt  anything  but  comfortable  over  this  arrange 
ment.  He  glanced  at  Josephine  to  see  how  she  would  take  it. 
But  she  stood  with  downcast  eyes,  looking  the  picture  of  lovely 
confusion,  a  beautiful  color  in  her  face,  while  he  noticed  that 
the  hand  which  held  her  fan  trembled  visibly. 

"  Lord  Henderson  said  he  would  play  parson  and  pronounce 
the  banns,"  the  merry  child  rattled  on,  "and  he  is  so  portly  he 
will  make  a  first-rate  one.  Now,  Archie,  you  and  Miss  Richards 
go  into  the  anteroom  yonder,  so  as  to  come  in  like  a  real  bridal 
party.  Wait,  there  is  lhat  lovely  lace  shawl  of  Lady  Orion's ; 
she  will  lend  it,  I  know,  for  a  vail,  and  it  will  be  just  the  thing. 
Now  don't  stand  there  like  a  pair  of  bashful  lovers,  for  it  is  only 
play,  you  know,"  she  added,  saucily,  "but  do  as  I  tell  you,  and 
I  will  arrange  everything,  then  bring  the  vail ;"  and  giving  her 
two.  victims  a  gentle  push,  the  excited  girl  whisked  away  to 
another  part  of  the  hall. 

"Well,  Miss  Richards,  Miss  Shelton  intends  to  have  every 
thing  her  own  way,  and  I  do  not  see  but  what  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  help  her  carry  out  her  plans. "  Lord  Carrol  said,  try 
ing  to  speak  lightly,  and  to  make  the  best  of  a  very — to  him — • 
disagreeable  situation. 

"You  certainly  do  resemble  a  bride  in  your  dress,"  he 
added,  "more  than  any  one  else  in  the  room,  and,  if  agree 
able  to  you,  we  will  assist  in  the  little  piece  of  folly  just  to 
please  the  child." 

Little  piece  of  folly  ! 

If  he  could  but  have  known  of  the  tumult  that  was  raging 
within  her  at  the  mere  thought  of  such  a  ceremony  in  con 
nection  with  him,  he  would  not  have  called  it  that — it  would 
have  been  sacrilege ! 

She  was  trembling  like  a  leaf,  and  she  knew  that  that  mar- 


THE    MOCK    MARRIAGE. 


35« 


riage  service,  though  but  the  meaningless  freak  of  a  wild  girl, 
would  seem  as  solemn  to  her  as  if  he  were  really  to  make  her 
his  wife. 

That  was  "folly"  without  doubt,  but  she  loved  him  so  that 
she  could  not  help  the  feeling. 

He  offered  her  his  arm,  and  they  retired  to  the  anteroom 
together,  and  Lord  Carrol  could  not  help  perceiving  the  strange 
thrill  which  pervaded  the  girl's  whole  frame  as  her  hand  came 
in  contact  with  his  arm. 

But  they  were  not  left  long  alone,  for  Minnie  Shelton  soon 
came  tripping  in  with  an  exquisite  point  lace  shawl  hanging 
over  her  arm. 

' '  Everybody  is  on  the  qui  vfve, "  she  said,  breathlessly,  ' '  and 
we  must  not  keep  them  waiting.  Sit  down,  Miss  Richards,  on 
this  divan,  and  let  me  pin  this  shawl  on  your  head;  it  will 
make  a  lovely  bridal  vail.  There,  Lord  Carrol,  isn't  she  charm 
ing?"  she  asked,  after  she  had  dextrously  arranged  it  in  graceful 
folds.  ' '  Doesn't  she  look  like  a  real  bride  ?" 

"  I  think  your  efforts  have  been  eminently  successful  to  make 
her  appear  like  one,"  he  answered,  smiling;  and  certainly  Jose 
phine  was  as  lovely  as  it  was  possible  for  any  one  to  be. 

"  I  only  hope,  my  lord,  that  when  you  do  get  married  you'll 
find  somebody  half  as  beautiful, "  retorted  the  saucy  elf.  ' '  There, 
you'll  do ;  now  go,  for  they  are  all  waiting,  and  the  parson  is 
ready  to  pronounce  the  banns." 

Lord  Carrol  felt  very  uneasy,  but  he  offered  his  arm  to  Jose 
phine  again,  and  her  hand  fell  upon  it,  white  and  soft  as  a 
snow-flake. 

They  passed  out  into  the  great  ball-room  and  paused  under 
the  green  arch,  while  murmurs  of  surprise  and  admiration 
greeted  them  from  every  side,  for  the  addition  of  the  lace  shawl 
to  Josephine's  already  charming  toilet  had  greatly  enhanced  her 
•appearance. 

Two  or  three  young  girls,  led  by  Minnie  Shelton,  advanced 


352 


THE    MOCK  MARRIAGE. 


and  took  their  station  by  her  side  to  act  as  bride-maids,  and 
then  Lord  Henderson,  clad  in  a  long  white  robe  improvised  for 
the  occasion,  came  forward  and  read  the  marriage  service. 

When  the  ring  was  called  for,  the  gay  girl  who  had  planned 
all  this  reached  behind  the  bride  and  tucked  one  into  Lord 
Carrol's  hand. 

He  was  strangely  impressed,  a  feeling  of  awe,  a  chill,  creep 
ing  over  him  as  he  felt  it  and  thought  of  its  significance.  But 
he  took  it  and  put  it  on  the  finger  of  the  mock  bride,  repeat 
ing,  "with  this  ring  I  wed  thee,  and  all  my  goods  endow  thee," 
feeling  as  if  he  were  going  through  a  mockery  almost  too  hor 
rible  to  endure. 

Josephine,  too,  trembled  visibly,  while  the  hand  that  he  held 
was  as  cold  as  ice. 

She  would  have  given  the  world  to  have  been  able  to  control 
herself,  for  she  feared  that  the  company  would  suspect  some 
thing  of  the  tumult  in  her  heart,  but  she  could  not 

However,  when  the  ceremony  was  over,  the  gay  crowd  came 
forward,  brimming  with  mirth,  and  in  the  jollity  that  followed, 
these  impressions  in  a  measure  passed  away. 

There  were  laughter  and  compliment  on  every  lip,  shaking  of 
hands  and  congratulation  on  every  side,  until  at  length  Minnie 
Shelton  put  a  stop  to  it  by  coming  forward  and  saying : 

"The  musicians  are  all  ready,  Lord  Carrol;  you'll  have  to 
dance  the  first  quadrille  with  your  bride ;  I'll  claim  you  for  the 
second.  Hasn't  it  been  a  lovely  wedding,  though  ? — just  as  if 
U  had  been  real,  you  know — and  we've  had  all  the  fun  without 
any  flurry.  My !"  perking  her  restless  head  on  one  side  and 
sying  Josephine  out  of  her  bright  eyes  like  some  pretty  bird, 
"don't  I  hope  I  may  make  as  charming  a  bride  when  some 
body  comes  to  marry  me !" 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  this  sally,  for  Miss  Minnie  was 
a  favorite  with  everybody. 

"Now  come,  please;  and,  Lord  Henderson,  if  you  have  no 


««/  HAVE    BEEN  if  AD." 


353 


objection,  I'd  like  you  for  a  partner,  and  we  will  be  the  happy 
couple's  vis  a  vis. " 

Without  waiting  for  his  consent,  she  slipped  her  little  hand 
within  his  arm  and  led  him  along  after  Lord  Carrol  and  Jose-i 
phine,  who  could  do  nothing  but  obey  her  commands. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

"I     HAVE      BEEN     MAD." 

When  that  first  dance  was  over,  Lord  Carrol  led  Josephine 
to  a  seat,  and,  bowing  before  her,  said,  in  as  light  a  tone  as  he 
could  command : 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Richards.  I  suppose  our  part  in  this 
little  farce  closes  now.  Allow  me  to  congratulate  you  upon 
having  assisted  in  carrying  it  off  in  the  most  perfect  manner.  I 
must  confess,"  he  added,  a  slight  shade  falling  over  his  face, 
"  that  it  does  not  strike  me  as  just  the  thing  to  make  a  mockery 
of  sacred  subjects ;  but  since  Minnie  Shelton,  who  is  a  veritable 
witch,  and  our  guests  have  enjoyed  it,  perhaps  I  should  not 
preach  about  it. " 

Josephine  looked  up  at  him  with  a  strange  glitter  in  her  eyes, 
while  her  face  was  crimson. 

Oh,  if  he  would  but  utter  one  fond,  tender  word  to  her — if 
he  would  but  give  her  a  sign  even,  to  show  that  his  heart  had 
been  thrilled  like  her  own  while  they  were  standing  there  side 
by  side ! 

He  noticed  her  heightened  color,  and  thought  she  looked  at 
him  queerly,  but  he  never  mistrusted  the  storm  that  was  tearing 
her  heart  asunder. 

"I  fear  you  are  very  warm,"  he  said,  kindly.  "Shall  I  get 
you  an  ice?" 


354 


"7    HAVE    BEEN    MAD." 


"Thanks,  no.  I  shall  do  very  well,"  she  answered,  con 
strainedly. 

And  then,  with  another  bow,  he  excused  himself  and  left  her. 

A  convulsive  sob  broke  from  the  girl's  lips  as  she  watched 
him  pass  down  the  long  room  and  out  at  a  lower  door;  then 
she,  too,  arose  and  glided  through  the  window  near  which  she 
had  been  sitting. 

She  sped  along  the  wide  piazza  until  she  came  to  the  end, 
where  a  flight  of  steps  led  down  to  a  little  arbor,  or  cluster  of 
small  trees  which  inclosed  a  great  piece  of  statuary. 

She  fled  within  it,  and  sinking  down  upon  the  granite  base 
which  supported  the  marble  group,  she  gave  vent  to  her  misery 
in  a  burst  of  passionate  tears. 

Lord  Carrol,  too,  as  he  passed  out  of  the  ball-room,  was 
more  deeply  moved  than  he  would  have  liked  to  betray,  and 
not  very  well  pleased  either  with  the  part  he  had  been  com 
pelled  to  play  so  much  against  his  inclination. 

Had  his  companion  been  any  other  than  Josephine,  perhaps 
he  would  have  felt  differently ;  but  he  could  not  forget  that  he 
had  once  been  represented  as  her  lover,  and  something  in  her 
manner  to-night  warned  him  that  she  would  not  have  regretted 
it  had  that  farce  been  a  bona  fide  marriage  service  instead,  and 
he  was  exceedingly  annoyed  over  the  affair. 

He  met  his  mother  as  he  was  going  through  a  hall,  and  she 
detained  him  by  gently  laying  her  hand  upon  his  arm. 

"Has  anything  disturbed  you?"  she  asked,  looking  up  into 
his  clouded  face. 

"No,  mother;  nothing  but  that  farce  which  has  just  been 
enacted.  I  do  not  like  such  things;  they  seem  too  much  like 
sacrilege,"  he  returned. 

"Neither  do  1  like  them,  Archie,"  she  said,  gravely.  "We 
have  no  right  to  make  light  of  any  subject  so  serious  as  mar 
riage;  but  Minnie  is  a  wild,  thoughtless  girl,  intent  only  on  the 
excitement  of  the  moment,  and  did  not  stop  to  consider.  I 


7   HAVE    BEEN    MAD." 


355 


must  say,  though,  that  Miss  Richards  helped  to  carry  it  off 
splendidly,  and  appeared  the  blushing,  modest  bride  to  per 
fection.  She  is  a  fine-looking  girl. " 

She  said  this  to  sound  him,  regarding  him  searchingly  all  the 
iime  that  she  was  speaking. 

' '  Yes ;  she  appears  to  attract  considerable  admiration, "  he 
icplied,  indifferently,  and  then  passed  on. 

He  went  out  at  the  great  hall-door  upon  the  veranda,  which 
Josephine  had  just  a  moment  or  two  ago  traversed,  and  fol 
lowed  almost  in  her  footsteps,  until  he  came  to  that  little 
circle  of  shrubbery,  when,  instead  of  going  within  it,  he  went 
around  it. 

He  could  not  shake  off  the  unpleasant  sensations  that  were 
;r>on  him;  everything  in  his  nature  had  suddenly  seemed  to 
become  out  of  tune,  and  he  wished  to  get  away  from  even  the 
sounds  of  the  gay  revelers  within  the  house,  while  his  thoughts 
turned  wistfully  toward  the  new  world  and  Star. 

He  was  getting  very  impatient  to  go  to  her,  and  he  had  in 
tended  to  be  on  his  way  thither  before  this,  but  circumstances 
had  recently  transpired  by  which  he  would  be  detained  another 
month,  and  the  time  seemed  very  long  to  him. 

He  paced  back  and  forth  in  the  moonlight  for  some  time,  his 
footsteps  making  no  sound  on  the  velvety  turf;  but  all  at  once, 
as  he  passed  that  evergreen  circle,  within  which  Josephine  still 
sat,  a  sob  fell  upon  his  ear  and  startled  him.  He  stopped  to 
listen,  and  heard  the  sound  repeated..  With  his  usual  energy 
and  decision,  he  passed  around  to  the  entrance  and  approached 
the  group  of  statuary  to  ascertain  who  was  there. 

At  first  he  could  see  no  one,  for  just  then  the  moon  was 
hidden  by  a  cloud,  and  Josephine's  dress  being  white,  her  form 
blended  with  the  marble  and  could  not  be  distinguished,  while 
she  was  so  absorbed  by  her  own  emotions  that  she  was  not 
aware  of  Lord  Carrol's  presence  until  he  touched  her  on  the 
shoulder  and  said : 


356 


"/    HAVE    BEEN    MADS 


"Pardon  me,  you  are  grieving;  is  your  trouble  anything 
that  I  can  help?" 

She  sprang  to  her  feet  instantly  and  confronted  him,  her 
cheeks  blazing  hotly,  her  whole  form  trembling  from  the  touch 
of  his  hand. 

"Miss  Richards!"  he  exclaimed,  in  surprise,  as  he  recog 
nized  her,  while  involuntarily  he  recoiled  from  her,  so  unex 
pected  and  disagreeable — in  his  present  frame  of  mind — was 
this  meeting. 

"I  thought,"  he  added,  "that  you  were  in  the  ball-room* 
enjoying  yourself  with  the  other  merrymakers. 

She  noticed  the  coldness  of  his  tone,  as  well  as  his  uncon 
scious  shrinking  from  her,  and  it  cut  her  to  the  heart,  while  at 
the  same  time  it  aroused  her  anger. 

"Enjoying  myself!"  she  repeated,  passionately  and  unguard 
edly ;   "the  evening  is  spoiled  forme;  everything  is  spoiled — • 
the  world  and  my  life.     That  mockery  through  which  we  have 
just  passed  has  made  me  miserable." 

It  was  strange,  he  thought,  that  they  should  both  feel  thus. 

"I  regret  that  anything  should  have  occurred  to  make  you 
so  unhappy,"  he  returned.  "  I  hoped  while  you  were  the  guest 
of  my  mother  that  nothing  would  transpire  to  mar  the  pleasure 
of  any  o»e.  But,"  he  added,  more  cheerfully,  "you  must  not 
allow  that  farce  to  oppress  you  thus.  I  do  not,  as  I  have  said 
before,  approve  of  making  light  of  such  serious  things,  and 
marriage,  to  me,  seems  like  a  sacred  ordinance.  But  no  harm 
was  done,  I  trust;  our  friends  were  amused  for  a  half-hour; 
and  really,  Miss  Richards,"  he  concluded,  smilingly,  "if,  when 
you  come  to  be  married  in  earnest,  you  make  as  charming  a 
bride  as  you  did  to-night,  the  happy  man  will  be  one  to  b? 
envied. " 

"Don't,  Lord  Carrol, "  Josephine  cried  out,  in  a  sharp  tone 
of  pain,  and  laying  her  hand  appealingly  on  his  arm ;  ' '  doti'i 
say  such  things  to  me  1" 


«•/   HAVE    BEEN   MAD: 


357 


She  was  trembling  like  a  leaf,  and  he  saw  that  she  was  ter- 
jibly  excited,  while  the  piteous  tone  in  which  she  had  just 
spoken  went  directly  to  his  kind  heart  He  took  her  hand  and 
drew  it  under  his  arm. 

"You  are  nervous,"  he  said,  kindly.  "Come  and  walk  with 
me  a  few  moments  until  you  are  calmer — the  night  is  almost 
like  summer — then  I  will  take  you  back  to  the  company." 

His  tone  was  so  sympathizing,  his  touch  on  her  arm  so 
gentle,  while  it  thrilled  every  fiber  of  her  body,  that  it  was  more 
than  she  could  bear. 

She  was  going  to-morrow,  and  this  man  whom  she  loved 
with  a  passion  almost  amounting  to  idolatry,  would  be  beyond 
her  reach.  She  would  not  meet  him  again  for  months,  perhaps 
never,  and  this  thought,  added  to  her  other  pain,  broke  her 
down  completely. 

She  grasped  his  arm  with  both  her  white  hands,  her  heart 
was  beating  like  a  frightened  bird's,  there  was  a  choking  sensa 
tion  in  her  throat,  and  bowing  her  graceful  head  upon  her 
clasped  and  trembling  hands,  she  burst  into  a  fresh  fit  of  weep 
ing,  which  was  like  a  tempest. 

The  young  lord  found  himself  in  a  very  awkward  position. 
Those  shaking  hands,  that  bowed  head  lying  so  near  his  heart, 
that  lithe,  quivering  form,  those  tears  and  sobs,  told  him  but 
too  plainly  what  caused  this  deep  emotion. 

"  Miss  Richards — Josephine,"  he  said,  unwittingly  using  her 
first  name  in  his  embarrassment,  "let  me  take  you  in.  You 
will  make  yourself  ill.  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?" 

But  she  could  not  control  herself.  She  had  abandoned  her 
self  too  entirely  now  to  her  passion  to  conquer  it  readily,  and 
she  sobbed  on,  conscious  only  of  how  she  loved  him,  and  that 
she  was  near  him. 

Oh  1  if  he  could  but  have  returned  her  love,  she  would 
gladly  have  given  the  best  years  of  her  life.  There  was  no 


358  "/   HAVE    BEEN    MAD." 

sacrifice  too  great,  she  thought  at  that  moment,  for  her  to  make 
in  exchange  for  the  prize  she  wished  to  win. 

"  Wkat  can  I  do  for  you,  my  friend?"  he  asked  again. 

"Love  me!"  burst  most  unconsciously  from  her  trembling 
lips. 

He  started  violently.  He  had  not  imagined  that  she  would 
dare  to  give  utterance  to  such  words  as  these;  while  she  knew, 
the  instant  that  they  were  spoken,  that  instead  of  gaining  his 
affection,  she  had  forfeited  even  his  respect. 

There  was  a  moment  of  awkward  silence.  Then  Lord  Carrol 
said  very  gravely,  but  still  very  gently : 

"Miss  Richards,  you  have  become  so  excited  over  what  has 
transpired,  that  I  think  you  are  hardly  conscious  of,  or  respon 
sible  for  what  you  have  said.  Shall  we  go  in  now?" 

"No!"  she  answered,  lifting  her  head  proudly,  and  Stirling 
her  sobs,  although  she  still  clung  tightly  to  his  arm,  as  if  she 
could  not  let  him  go.  "No;  I  will  not  go  in  yet.  Having 
said  so  much,  I  must  say  more.  You  are  right.  I  am  not 
responsible  for  the  words  which  I  have  spoken.  I  did  not  mean 
to  speak  them — they  escaped  me  unawares;  but  since  I  have 
spoken  them,  I  cannot  recall  them,  and  my  secret  is  mine  no 
longer.  Oh  !"  she  continued,  with  a  heart-breaking  sob,  "pity 
me,  have  compassion  on  me,  forgive  me !" 

"I  have  nothing  to  forgive,"  he  said,  kindly;  "and,  believe 
me,  I  am  very  sorry  that  your  nerves  should  have  been  so  over 
taxed  to-night;  but,"  and  his  face  flushed,  "perhaps  it  will  be 
better  for  both  of  us  if  I  tell  you  that,  however  much  I  may 
esteem  you,  my  heart  could  never  respond  to  the  wish  you  have 
expressed ;  it  has  long  been  given  to  another.  I  thought  you 
knew  this;  I  thought  your  knew  that — I  loved  your  cousin, 
Miss  Gladstone." 

Her  hands  dropped  from  his  arm  as  if  they  had  been  burned, 
while  keen,  quivering  pains  shot  all  over  her  body  at  this 
avowal. 


"/    HAVE    BEEN    MAD:n  359 

Her  head  came  up  with  a  haughty  gesture,  her  <jyes  blazed 
with  sudden  anger,  her  red  lips  curled  with  bitter  scorn.  She 
had  humiliated  herself — she  had  bowed  her  proud  spirit  to  the 
dust  to  win  him,  and  now  he  dared  to  tell  her  this — dared  to 
tell  her  that  he  loved  the  girl  whom  she  hated,  whom  she  had 
triple  cause  to  hate  in  that  she  was  far  her  superior  in  every 
Way — she  had  won  the  heart  of  the  only  man  whom  she  had 
ever  loved,  and  had  laid  her  under  an  obligation  which  she 
could  never  repay. 

"  I  believe  I  have  been  mad!"  she  whispered,  fiercely,  through 
her  tightly  shut  teeth,  which  shone  like  lovely  pearls  in  the 
moonlight.  "Yes,  I  must  have  been  mad,"  she  went  on; 
"some  spirit  of  evil  must  have  possessed  me  to  make  me  tell 
you  what  I  have;  for — hear  me,  Lord  Carrol — I  do  not  love 
you  ;  I  hate  you  !  If  I  ever  had  any  love  for  you,  it  has  turned 
to  hate  now,  and  I  detest  the  girl  whom  you  profess  to  love, 
and  for  whom  you  have  dared  to  confess  your  affection,  know 
ing  how  I  hate  her." 

She  pressed  her  hands  wildly  to  her  temples,  with  a  low 
moan.  It  was  not  so  easy  as  she  thought  to  hate  where  she 
had  loved  so  passionately. 

"  Do  you  think  it  is  a  light  thing,"  she  asked,  hotly,  "for  a 
girl  to  reveal  the  secrets  of  her  heart,  as  I  have  revealed  mine 
to-night?  Do  you  think  there  has  been  no  sacrifice  of  pride 
or  modesty  on  my  part  to  tell  you  what  I  have  told  you  ?  My 
heart  has  been  burning  to  ashes  while  standing  here  by  your 
side,  and  you  have  pitilessly  tortured  me  still  further  by  telling 
me  that  you  love  Star  Gladstone — that  girl  who  has  only  crossed 
my  path  to  mar  my  every  prospect  in  life.  I  thought  half  an 
hour  ago,  when  I  stood  beside  you  during  that  mock  ceremony 
and  spoke  those  sacred  words,  that  if  they  could  only  have 
been  real — if  I  could  indeed  have  been  made  your  lawful  wife, 
it  would  have  been  like  the  happiness  of  heaven  for  me.  If  you 
could  have  but  called  me  by  that  fond  name  only  once — if  you 


300  "/    HAVE    BEEN   JlfAD." 

had  looked  tenderly  into  my  eyes  and  owned  me  yours,  I  could 
have  asked  no  greater  bliss  in  life.  But,  heavens !  when  I  break 
every  barrier  down,  when  I  forget  my  womanhood  and  modesty 
and  tell  you  how  I  idolize  you,  you  coolly  inform  me  that  you 
love  the  girl  /  hate.  Beware !  you  have  made  me  an  eternal 
enemy  to  you  both,  and  I  will  ruin  both  your  lives,  as  you  have 
ruined  mine,  if  I  can." 

She  would  have  dashed  wildly  by  him  after  uttering  those  last 
fierce,  revengeful  words,  but  he  placed  himself  directly  in  her 
path  and  would  not  let  her  pass. 

He  saw  now  that  all  his  sympathy  and  kindly  feeling  had 
been  worse  than  wasted.  He  had  read  her  character  aright 
from  the  first;  she  was  totally  selfish,  and  her  love — if  an  un 
reasoning  passion  like  hers  could  be  called  love — would  have 
made  any  true  man  miserable,  for  her  ambition  would  never  be 
satisfied. 

He  did  not  wonder  now  that  he  had  not  had  more  faith  in 
her,  and  his  sympathy  and  sorrow  for  her  were  at  once  turned 
into  contempt. 

"Miss  Richards,"  he  began,  in  a  stern,  cold  voice,  and  look 
ing  down  into  her  angry,  blazing  eyes  with  a  glance  which 
cowed  her  in  spite  of  her  passion,  "what  respect  I  may  have 
entertained  for  you  heretofore,  what  pity  or  compassion  I  may 
have  experienced  for  your  apparent  suffering  to-night,  and  the 
only  emotion  which  ever  made  you  appear  really  womanly  or 
gentle  in  my  eyes,  has  wholly  vanished  during  those  last  vin 
dictive  words  of  yours.  I  had  begun  to  hope  that  you  had 
learned  lessons  of  charity  and  kindness  during  the  past  year — 
that  you  had  come  to  realize  there  was  something  more  required 
in  life  than  a  continual  seeking  after  pleasure  and  the  gratifica 
tion  of  pride  and  ambitious  desires ;  but  I  perceive  that  I  was 
mistaken,  and  I  am  sorry,  for  you  will  be  the  greatest  sufferer. 
Your  declaration  of  hatred,  and  your  threat  that  you  will  ruin 
Miss  Gladstone's  and  my  life,  are  but  idle  words ;  for  our  love 


«/   HAVE    BEEN   MAD."  36! 

is  something  that  malice  can  never  touch,  and  a  month  hence  I 
shall  be  on  my  way  to  America  lo  make  her  my  wife." 

Josephine  uttered  a  cry  of  mingled  pain  and  anger  at  this, 
and  made  another  effort  to  leave  him,  but  he  would  not  let  her 
go  even  yet. 

"  I  have  not  quite  finished  what  I  wish  to  say,  Miss  Richards," 
he  continued,  "and  we  may  as  well  come  to  a  full  understand 
ing  at  once.  I  have  been  told  of  the  change  in  Miss  Glad 
stone's  fortunes.  I  have,  indeed,  learned  much  regarding  her 
life  while  she  was  with  you  that  has  both  pained  and  surprised 
me.  I  know,  too,  of  some  things  which  occurred  this  year, 
when  you  were  both  visitors  at  the  same  fashionable  resort. 
You  are,  it  appears,  to  icmain  a  resident  of  England,  and  we 
may  meet  occasionally  in  society ;  but  let  me  tell  you  I  shall 
never  allow  any  such  indignity  to  be  heaped  upon  the  future 
Lady  Carrol  as  that  of  which  you  were  guilty  this  summer  at 
Newport " 

He  saw  her  start  as  he  said  this. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  she  demanded,  haughtily. 

"  I  do  not  think  you  are  so  ignorant  of  my  meaning  as  you 
appear,"  he  returned,  his  handsome  lips  curling  with  scorn; 
"but  if  you  wish  to  be  reminded  of  the  feet  that  you  publicly 
twitted  Miss  Gladstone  last  summer  of  having  once  performed 
the  duties  of  a  chambermaid  in  your  family,  I  can  do  so.  Bui 
do  not  let  it  ever  happen  again,  or  I  shall  feel  it  my  duty  to 
make  all  the  facts  of  the  case  public." 

"Who  has  told  you  all  this?"  she  demanded,  angrily. 

"That  does  not  matter,"  he  replied,  coldly;  "it  is  sufficient 
that  I  know  it." 

"  Ralph  Meredith  has  told  you  !"  she  cried. 

' '  Mr.  Meredith  is  my  friend — but  that  is  a  point  we  need 
not  discuss,  I  think,"  he  answered,  quietly. 

She  beat  the  air  frantically  with  her  hands.  She  felt  how  little, 
how  contemptible  she  must  appear  in  his  sight 


362 


"I   HAVE    BEEN    MAD: 


"  Perhaps  you  do  not  know  that  he  played  the  role  of  devoted 
lover  to  Miss  Gladstone  this  summer,"  she  sneered,  hoping  to 
make  him  jealous. 

Lord  Carrol  flushed. 

He  had  mistrusted  something  of  this  from  what  Ralph  had 
told  him.  He  did  not  believe  that  Star  would  have  confessed 
what  she  had  to  him,  except  to  convince  him  that  she  could 
never  entertain  feelings  of  affection  toward  an^  one  save  the 
man  who,  as  she  supposed,  had  wronged  her. 

"  Miss  Gladstone  is  my  affianced  wife,"  he  replied,  proudly 
feeling  that  he  had  a  perfect  right  to  regard  and  speak  of  her  as 
such,  knowing  that  she  still  loved  him,  and  that  his  explana 
tions  to  her  would  re-establish  their  former  relations.  "But," 
he  added,  as  he  stepped  aside  now  to  allow  her  to  pass,  "it  is 
useless  to  prolong  this  interview  ;  only  let  me  caution  you, 
Miss  Richards,  to  remember  that  while  you  show  proper  respect 
for  me  and  mine,  I  shall  also  tender  you  the  respect  belonging 
to  a  lady. " 

She  was  as  white  as  her  spotless  dress  now.  He  could  see 
by  the  moonlight  that  she  had  grown  perfectly  ghastly,  but 
there  was  a  wild,  fearful  light  in  her  eyes. 

"My  hate  will  follow  you  both,"  she  said,  hoarsely,  "and  I 
tell  you  I  will  ruin  your  lives  if  I  can." 

She  dashed  by  him  with  the  speed  of  a  fawn  and  disappeared 
from  his  sight,  leaving  him  standing  there  wonder-stricken  that 
i  creature  so  beautiful  to  look  upon  could  possess  so  depraved 
i  nature. 


A    CRUSHING    BLOW.  363 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

A   CRUSHING    BLOW. 

The  next  morning  when  the  company  met  at  breakfast,  Jo 
sephine  experienced  a  feeling  of  intense  relief  upon  learning 
that  Lord  Carrol  had  been  called  away  to  London  at  an  early 
hour  on  "important  business." 

This  was  the  day  of  their  departure  also,  and  she  was  not 
sorry  to  leave  the  house  which  had  been  the  scene  of  her 
humiliation  and  despair  over  her  unrequited  love. 

The  meal  was  not  a  very  social  one,  for  every  one  was  tired 
out  with  last  night's  dissipation,  and  it  required  more  of  an 
effort  than  they  felt  capable  of  making  to  be  very  merry. 

After  it  was  over,  and  as  Josephine  was  passing  through  the 
hall  on  her  way  to  her  own  room,  she  espied  the  morning 
papers  lying  on  the  table. 

Mechanically  she  took  up  one,  glancing  carelessly  over  the 
columns,  when  almost  the  first  thing  she  saw  was  a  notice  of 
the  arrival  of  a  steamer  from  New  York  two  days  previous,  with 
a  list  of  the  passengers  below. 

A  lurid  light  shot  into  her  eyes  and  an  angry  exclamation 
burst  from  her  lips  as  she  read ;  for,  among  the  other  names  in 
that  list,  she  read  those  of  Jacob  Rosevelt,  Miss  Star  Gladstone 
and  maid,  from  New  York. 

"What  on  earth  can  have  possessed  them  to  come  aboad  just 
at  this  time?"  she  muttered,  with  lowering  brow.  "If  they  had 
only  waited  a  month  they  would  have  missed  him,  but  now 
they  will  be  sure  to  meet." 

She  took  the  paper  and  went  up  stairs  to  her  mother's  room, 
and  showed  the  notice  to  her. 

She  was  very  angry  also, 


364  A    CRUSHING    BLOW. 

"  It  seems  as  if  that  girl  was  bound  to  be  the  ruination  of  us. 
They  are  continually  crossing  our  path,  and  I  declare  it  is  more 
than  human  nature  can  patiently  bear.  I  wonder  what  has 
brought  them  to  England?" 

"I  suppose  Uncle  Jacob  thinks  he  must  give  his  charming 
protegee  every  advantage  possible,"  Josephine  sneered,  bitterly. 

"Well,  I'm  sure  we  do  not  need  to  mind  them  now,"  Mrs. 
Richards  said,  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction.  "Even  if  she  gets 
every  penny  of  his  money,  your  position  will  henceforth  be  far 
superior  to  hers. " 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  the  girl  retorted,  with  a  painful 
flush.  "If  Lord  Carrol  meets  her,  and  they  make  up  their 
quarrel,  I  shall  still  be  rather  in  the  background,  I  imagine." 

"True;  I  had  not  thought  of  that,"  her  mother  replied, 
with  a  blank  look.  "  I  wish  you  could  have  managed  to  entrap 
him,  Jo." 

"Jo"  bit  her  lips  until  the  blood  spurted  from  them,  as  she 
remembered  how  her  "trap"  had  sprung  and  wounded  only 
herself. 

"  Lord  Carrol  is  afoot!"  she  said,  passionately. 

Her  mother  looked  up  at  her  searchingly,  mistrusting  that 
her  daughter  had  more  reason  for  her  pale  face  and  heavy  eyes 
than  she  knew  of. 

"  If  only  that  marriage  last  night  could  have  been  a  real  one, 
I  should  have  been  the  happiest  woman  in  England  this  morn 
ing,"  she  said,  wistfully. 

"With  one  exception,"  Josephine  thought,  with  a  bitter  sigh 
and  a  hard  glitter  in  her  eyes ;  but  she  said  nothing. 

They  did  not  leave  Sherbrooke  House  that  day,  however.  A 
sudden  storm  came  on  during  the  afternoon,  too  violent  to 
admit  of  the  departure  of  any  one,  and  Lady  Sherbrooke  would 
not  allow  any  of  her  guests  to  mention  such  a  thing.  And  so 
the  long,  dreary  day  was  spent  in  rest  and  quiet. 

But  the  next  day  broke  bright  and  pleasant,  and  just  as  the 


A    CRUSHING    BLOW.  365 

company  were  sitting  down  to  the  morning  meal,  Minnie  Shel- 
ton  came  dancing  into  the  breakfast-room,  her  cheeks  glowing, 
her  eyes  sparkling,  and  her  lips  parted  in  the  brightest  of 
smiles,  while  a  paper  fluttered  in  her  small  hands. 

"Such  fun!"  she  exclaimed,  merrily.  "  Here  is  a  descrip 
tion  of  your  ball,  Lady  Sherbrooke,  in  the  Cheshire  Gazette — 
the  mock  marriage  and  all ;  and  the  best  of  the  whole  thing  is, 
they  have  written  up  that  event  so  that  at  a  first  glance  any  one 
would  naturally  suppose  that  a  real  wedding  had  occurred. 
Listen." 

She  held  up  the  paper  and  read  : 

"  MARRIED. — At  the  country  residence  of  Lady  Sherbrooke,  on  the 
loth  instant,  Sir  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton,  to 
Miss  Josephine  Richards,  formerly  of  New  York,  U.  S.  A.,  but  recently 
reported  to  be  the  heiress  presumptive  to  the  Thornton  estates  in  Devon 
shire.  The  fair  bride  was  lovely  in  her  bridal  robes,  not  the  least  notice 
able  of  which  was  the  exquisite  point  lace  vail,  which  was  also  of  great 
value." 

' '  There — isn't  that  too  rich  for  anything  ?"  the  gay  girl  cried ; 
" and  do  look  at  the  mock  bride's  blushes!"  pointing  at  Jo 
sephine,  whose  face  was  crimson  from  varied  emotions;  "what 
a  pity  it  is  that  our  handsome  groom  is  not  here  to  see  them  ; 
and  one  would  almost  imagine  she  was  a  real  bride  by  her 
confusion. " 

' '  Then  there  follows  a  long  account  of  the  ball,  which  ex 
plains  everything,"  she  added,  laying  down  the  paper;  "but 
I'm  so  out  of  breath  that  I  can't  read  any  more,  and  you'll 
have  to  peruse  it  for  yourselves. " 

There  was  an  awkward  silence  for  a  moment  after  she  had 
ceased  speaking ;  then  Lady  Sherbrooke  said,  in  tones  of  grave 
reproof: 

"Minnie,  my  dear,  what  a  wild  child  you  are;  but  you 
must  learn  to  be  more  thoughtful  of  the  feelings  of  others." 

"Why,  what  have  I  done?"  she  asked,  with  great,  round, 
innpcent  eyes,  yet  a  guilty  flush  rose  to  her  cheeks. 


366  *    CRUSHING    BLOW. 

"I  am  very  glad  if  you  enjoyed  the  ball,"  her  ladyship  con 
tinued,  still  gravely;  "but  I  regret  that  you  should  have  pro 
posed  turning  so  serious  a  subject  as  marriage  into  mockery, 
and  I  am  very  sorry — yes,  deeply  displeased,  that  any  one,  in 
writing  an  account  of  our  gathering  here,  should  have  given 
that  farce  such  an  appearance  of  reality,  for  it  might  make  it 
very  awkward,  not  only  for  my  son,  but  also  for  some  of  our 
guests,"  she  concluded,  with  glance  at  Josephine's  downcast 
face. 

Little  Miss  Shelton  was  very  uneasy  during  this  reproof,  but 
she  rallied,  and  said,  lightly  : 

"But,  dear  Lady  Sherbrooke,  it  was  all  done  so  nicely;  and 
everything  was  so  lovely  that  it  almost  seemed  like  a  real  wed 
ding.  I  wish  we  could  have  a  real  wedding.  Won't  somebody 
get  married,  please,  and  give  me  an  invitation?  I  haven't  been 
to  one  since  I  was  a  little  girl  in  short  clothes." 

And  the  elf  looked  around  her  so  roguishly,  and  with  such 
an  expression  of  mock  distress  on  her  pretty  face,  that  the  com 
pany  broke  into  an  indulgent  laugh,  and  then  the  subject  was 
for  the  time  dropped. 

But  Josephine,  watching  her  opportunity  when  some  of  the 
guests  were  leaving,  and  people  generally  were  occupied  saying 
farewell,  sought  and  found  that  paper,  and  slipped  it  unob 
served  into  her  pocket. 

******* 

In  one  of  the  rooms  of  a  beautiful  suite  of  apartments  look 
ing  out  upon  St.  James  square,  a  young  girl  sat  by  a  window, 
looking  out  upon  the  passers-by  in  the  street  below. 

She  was  tall,  and  slender,  and  graceful  as  a  young  elm,  her 
small  head  crowned  with  masses  of  golden  hair,  her  eyes — 
"heaven's  own  blue" — looking  out  from  under  a  broad  fore 
head,  which  was  partially  concealed  by  the  shining  mist  which 
lay  lightly  upon  it,  her  red  lips  parted  with  an  expression  of 


A     CRUSHING    BLOW.  367 

eager  interest  as  she  gazed  upon  the  hurrying  throng  below. 
She  was  as  fair  as  the  day — a  perfect  picture,  upon  which  the 
eye  would  love  to  linger. 

It  is  our  Star  fresh  and  beautiful  as  ever,  but  with  something 
more  of  maturity  and  dignity  in  her  bearing  than  when  we  last 
saw  her. 

She  has  been  in  London  just  one  week,  and  is  enjoying  every 
day,  despite  the  proverbial  rain  and  fog,  for  she  has  returned  to 
her  native  land  once  more,  and  every  inch  of  ground  is  replete 
with  interest  for  her. 

The  past  few  months  have  been  full  of  enjoyment,  for  she 
has  "been  everywhere  and  seen  everything"  in  the  far  West  of 
the  New  World — at  least  as  far  as  that  was  practicable,  and  as 
she  had  warned  Mr.  Rosevelt  she  should  wish  to  do — and  with 
such  congenial  companions  as  he  and  Miss  Meredith  always 
were  the  time  could  not  fail  to  pass  pleasantly. 

But  she  had  turned  her  face  with  even  keener  anticipations 
toward  England's  shores,  while  not  even  the  memory  of  her 
previous  terrible  experience  at  sea  had  power  to  make  her 
shrink  from  the  long  voyage,  or  mar  the  delight  of  this  glad 
return. 

As  she  sits  there  in  her  handsome  parlor,  looking  out  upon 
the  street,  a  door  opens,  and  Jacob  Rosevelt  enters. 

He  looks  younger  and  in  better  health  than  we  have  ever 
seen  him  before,  while  his  face  is  animated  and  genial,  as  if  life 
was  at  its  brightest  with  him. 

Star  looked  around  as  he  entered. 

"How  quickly  you  have  returned,  Uncle  Jacob,"  she  said, 
rising,  and  going  to  meet  him,  and  taking  his  hat 

"Yes;  I  knew  you  would  be  impatient  for  your  letters,  and, 
as  there  is  quite  a  budget  to  be  gone  through  with,  I  thought  it 
best  not  to  keep  you  in  suspense." 

As  he  spoke  he  drew  from  his  capacious  pocket  a  half-dozen 
letters,  and  as  many  papers,  which  he  had  just  received  from 


368  A    CRUSHING    BLOW, 

the  American  Legation,  and  half  of  which  he  gave  into  Star's 
own  hands. 

"This  is  from  Grace,  this  from  Mr.  Appleton,  and — this 
must  be  from  Nattie  Browning,  to  whom  I  gave  up  my  position 
as  a  teacher,"  she  said,  running  the  letters  through  her  white 
fingers. 

She  laid  the  papers,  which,  of  course,  were  of  minor  import 
ance,  upon  the  table,  and,  sitting  down  in  a  low  chair,  care 
fully  cut  the  ends  of  the  envelopes,  and  was  soon  deep  in  the 
contents  of  her  news  from  beyond  the  sea. 

It  took  her  nearly  an  hour  to  read  them  all. 

Miss  Meredith's  was  full  of  chat  and  innocent  gossip,  just 
like  that  charming  young  lady's  own  self,  and  contained  a  num 
ber  of  commissions  and  charges,  not  the  least  important  of 
which  was  that  Star  must  be  sure  to  hunt  up  her  brother  Ralph, 
who  wrote  that  he  should  spend  spend  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
month  of  December  in  or  near  London. 

Mr.  Appleton's  letter  was  mostly  on  business,  and  regarding 
the  book  she  had  written,  as  well  as  another  which  he  wanted 
her  to  write.  It  contained  also  a  check,  and  Star  always  felt 
very  proud  whenever  these  bits  of  paper  came  made  out  to  her. 
They  gave  her  a  feeling  of  independence  and  pleasure  which 
no  other  money  did. 

The  third  letter  was  an  entertaining  one  from  a  classmate — a 
poor  girl  to  whom  she  had,  as  she  said,  resigned  a  position  as 
teacher  upon  finding  herself  the  heiress  to  a  million. 

After  reading  these  she  took  up  her  papers  in  a  listless  way  ; 
she  did  not  feel  much  in  the  mood  for  looking  them  over;  they 
seemed  tame  and  uninteresting  after  the  letters. 

But  all  at  once  she  noticed  that  one  was  not  a  home  paper ; 
it  bore  the  London  postmark,  and  was  addressed  in  a  hand  she 
did  not  recognize. 

"It  cannot  be  from  Ralph  Meredith,"  she  said  to  herself 


A    CRUSHING    BLOW.  369 

'  for  he  does  not  know  that  I  am  here.  Besides,  it  is  not  his 
handwriting.  I  wonder  who  could  have  sent  it?" 

She  opened  it  with  considerable  curiosity,  and  yet  with  a 
feeling  of  foreboding  at  her  heart. 

The  Cheshire  Gazette,  she  read,  as  she  espied  the  heading, 
and  then  her  eye  glanced  down  over  the  columns  underneath. 

Suddenly  she  started. 

There  is  a  paragraph  marked. 

Her  eyes  dilate — a  look  of  horror  comes  into  them ;  her 
lips  grow  pale,  and  she  feels  as  if  she  is  suffocating  as  she 
reads : 

"MARRIED. — At  the  country  residence  of  Lady  Sherbrooke,  on  the 
loth  instant,  Sir  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton,  to 
Miss  Josephine  Richards,  of  New  York,  U.  S.  A.,  and  heiress  presump 
tive  to  the  Thornton  estates  in  Devonshire,  etc." 

Could  it  be  true?  The  paper  dropped  from  her  nerveless 
hands.  Was  the  deed  really  done  at  last,  and  Archibald  Sher 
brooke  lost  to  her  forever? 

She  had  not  realized  until  that  moment  how  much  of  hope 
had  lived  in  her  heart  during  all  this  time. 

But  these  dreadful  words  had  suddenly  cut  it  down,  as  the 
sharp  sickle  cuts  down  the  tender  grass. 

Had  she  really  read  them,  or  had  her  imagination  played  her 
some  terrible  trick  ? 

Feeling  as  if  she  were  turning  to  stone,  she  picked  up  the 
paper  and  compelled  herself  to  go  over  the  horrible  sentence 
again. 

Yes,  it  was  all  true — it  was  as  plain  as  print  could  make  it. 
But  what  was  this  ? 

A  new  terror  seized  her — something  that  she  had  not  thought 
of  until  now,  she  had  been  so  stunned  by  the  bare  fact  that  her 
lover  was  married. 

"  Sir  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol,  of  Carrolton  1" 


i 

•Vi 


370 


CRUSHING    BLOW. 


A  mist  comes  over  her  eyes ;  her  heart  drops  like  a  thing  of 
lead  in  her  bosom. 

In  an  instant  a  suspicion  of  the  truth  flashed  upon  her. 

Had  she  done  her  lover  an  irreparable  wrong?  she  asked 
herself,  with  a  feeling  of  despair.  Had  she  driven  him  from 
her,  taunting  him  with  treachery  and  cowardice,  and  refusing  to 
listen  to  his  defense,  when  perhaps  he  had  the  best  in  the  world 
to  offer  her? 

Oh  !  if  she  had  but  heeded  Mr.  Rosevelt  when  he  begged 
her  to  let  him  see  him  and  learn  the  reason  of  his  mysterious 
conduct.  Oh!  if  she  had  only  answered  that  advertisement 
and  allowed  him  to  come  to  her  as  he  had  entreated. 

She  had  been  cruel,  unjust,  wicked ;  and  now  it  was  too  late 
to  atone  for  it. 

She  felt  as  if  bands  of  ice  were  being  bound  about  her  heart 
— as  if  coals  of  fire  were  heaped  upon  her  brain,  and  branded 
upon  it,  in  letters  which  would  haunt  her  till  her  dying  hour, 
those  two  names,  Sir  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol, 
oi"  Carrolton. 

Familiar  as  she  was  with  English  customs,  she  could  under 
stand  readily  enough  how  he  had  become  possessed  of  them, 
and  it  was  so  strange  that  she  had  never  thought  of  it  before. 

In  all  her  suffering  upon  learning,  as  she  had  supposed,  that 
she  had  been  betrayed,  she  had  never  endured  pain  like  this ; 
and,  with  her  sight  failing,  her  senses  reeling,  without  sound  ot 
warning,  she  slipped  from  her  chair  to  the  floor,  where  she  lay 
white  and  still  in  a  lifeless  heap  at  Jacob  Rosevelt's  feet 


STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


371 


CHAPTER  XL. 

STELLA'S  MENTAL  AGONY. 

"Bless  my  soul!  what  does  this  mean?"  Jacob  Rosevelt 
cried,  as,  looking  up  from  his  own  letters,  in  which  he  had 
been  deeply  absorbed,  he  saw  the  beautiful  girl  lying  so  white 
and  still  at  his  feet. 

He  rushed  to  the  bell  and  rang  it  violently,  then  back  again 
to  Star,  whom  he  lifted  tenderly  in  his  arms  and  laid  her  upon 
a  sofa,  where  he  began  charing  her  cold  hands  vigorously. 

Mrs.  Blunt  soon  made  her  appearance  in  answer  to  her  mas 
ter's  summons,  and  looked  as  alarmed  as  himself  to  find  the 
girl  she  loved  so  devotedly  in  such  a  critical  state. 

But  Star's  insensibility  did  not  last  long. 

All  too  soon  she  awoke  to  a  consciousness  of  this  new 
misery. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  she  asked,  as,  opening  her  eyes,  she 
found  her  fond  friends  bending  anxiously  over  her. 

"You  had  a  fainting  turn,  dear;  but  you  are  better  now," 
Mrs.  Blunt  returned,  holding  a  glass  of  wine  to  her  lips. 

Star  passed  her  hand  across  her  forehead  and  sighed  heavily, 
as  she  began  slowly  to  gather  up  the  broken  threads  of  memory 
again. 

"What  was  it,  Starling?"  Mr.  Rosevelt  questioned,  with  a 
troubled  look  at  her  white  face ;  "did  you  have  bad  news  in 
your  letters?" 

' '  No,  there  were  no  ill-tidings  in  my  letters, "  she  answered, 
avoiding  his  eye,  and  wishing  to  conceal,  if  possible,  the  cause 
of  her  swoon  from  him.  ' '  I  read  them  through, "  she  added, 


372 


STELLA'S   MENTAL    AGONY. 


"and  was  opening  my  papers,  when  I  began  to  feel  queerly.  1 
believe  I  never  fainted  but  once  before  in  my  life. " 

But  she  shuddered  as  she  remembered  how  Josephine  Rich 
ards  had  been  the  cause  of  that  ill-turn  also. 

She  sat  up  and  tried  to  collect  herself. 

She  still  felt  as  if  those  icy  bands  were  encircling  her  heart, 
and  as  if  her  brain  was  on  fire ;  but  she  was  anxious  to  get 
hold  of  that  paper  once  more,  and  go  away  by  herself. 

She  did  not  mean  that  Jacob  Rosevelt  should  ever  know  that 
she  had  seen  the  notice  of  her  lover's  marriage;  she  meant  to 
keep  her  secret  locked  close  within  her  own  breast,  and  not 
even  let  him  suspect  that  she  was  still  grieving  for  the  man 
whose  name  had  not  been  mentioned  between  them  for  ovei  a 
year. 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  going  to  be  ill,"  he  said,  noticing  the 
great  blue  circles  under  her  eyes  with  alarm. 

"No;  do  not  be  anxious  about  me,  Uncle  Jacob,"  she 
returned,  trying  to  smile.  "I  shall  be  all  right  again  in  a  few 
minutes. " 

And  she  was,  apparently. 

She  called  all  her  will  to  her  aid ;  she  drank  a  full  glass  of 
wine,  and  soon  felt  much  stronger,  but  oh !  still  so  wretched 
and  heart-sick. 

She  arose  after  awhile  and  began  to  move  about  the  room, 
although  both  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Mrs.  Blunt  insisted  that  she 
was  not  able — that  she  ought  to  be  still  and  rest  all  day. 

But  that  paper  was  still  lying  upon  the  floor,  with  that 
marked  paragraph  staring  her  in  the  face. 

She  must  get  it  and  bide  it,  or  they  would  learn  all  her 
trouble,  and  know  how  weak  and  foolish  she  was — how  lack 
ing  in  pride  and  self-respect  to  grieve  thus  after  another  wo 
man's  husband ;  and  her  lips  curled  with  scorn  at  her  own 
folly,  while  all  the  time  the  pain  at  her  heart  was  growing  more 
bitter. 


STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


373 


Very  quietly  she  gathered  up  her  letters  and  papers,  which 
had  slipped  to  the  floor  when  she  fell. 

With  trembling  fingers  she  folded  that  fatal  sheet  into  the 
smallest  compass,  and  tucked  it  slyly  into  her  pocket;  then 
laying  the  others  on  the  table  beside  Mr.  Rosevelt,  she  said  : 

"I  do  not  think  I  will  read  any  more  now,  Uncle  Jacob; 
but  perhaps  you  would  like  to  look  over  these  home  papers.  I 
will  go  and  lie  down  for  a  little  while,  and  try  to  sleep  off  my 
weakness." 

He  took  her  white  face  between  his  hands  and  looked  anx 
iously  into  her  eyes. 

"My  dear,  my  dear,"  he  said,  earnestly,  "I  hope  you  are 
not  going  to  be  sick ;  what  should  I  do  without  you  ?  You 
must  take  care  of  yourself  for  my  sake,  as  well  as  for  your  own, 
my  Star." 

She  smiled,  and,  taking  one  of  the  hands  that  held  her  face, 
touched  her  lips  to  it. 

She  knew  that  no  daughter  was  ever  more  tenderly  beloved 
than  she  was  by  this  grand  old  man,  whose  deathless  affection 
had  been  given  to  her  grandmother. 

"No,  I  shall  not  be  sick,  Uncle  Jacob;  do  not  worry, "  she 
returned,  trying  to  speak  lightly.  "Many  people  frequently 
faint,  and  get  entirely  over  it  in  an  hour.  I  shall  be  as  well  as 
ever  in  a  little  while,  and  all  right  for  the  reception  at  the 
American  Legation  this  evening." 

"I  do  not  believe  you  will  be  able  to  go,"  he  said,  doubt 
fully.  "You  must  not  expose  yourself." 

"Oh,  I  would  not  miss  it  on  any  account,"  Star  answered, 
quickly.  "Let  me  run  away  now  for  a  nap,  and  I  will  show 
you  how  fresh  I  shall  be  when  the  hour  arrives." 

She  was  anxious  to  get  away  from  his  questioning  eyes,  and, 
gently  releasing  herself  from  him,  she  sought  her  own  room 
and  locked  herself  in. 

All  day  long  she  battled  there  with  her  tortured  heart ;  all 


374 


S?SLLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


day  long  she  fought  with  the  love  which  she  still  bore  Archie 
Sherbrooke,  for  it  rose  up  stronger  by  a  hundred-fold  now  that 
she  had  discovered  that  he  was  innocent  of  any  wrong  toward 
her,  and  realized  her  own  cruel  injustice  to  him. 

If  she  had  but  opened  and  read  more  of  that  paper,  she 
would  have  learned  her  error ;  but  the  moment  she  found  her 
self  alone,  she  took  it  from  her  pocket  and  threw  it  upon  the 
glowing  coals  in  the  grate,  and  watched  it  while  it  burned  to 
ashes.  She  was  determined  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  should  never 
*ee  it. 

All  day  long  she  lay  upon  her  bed,  and  thought  bitterly  of 
Josephine  as  the  proud  and  happy  wife  of  Lord  Carrol — as  the 
mistress  of  his  elegant  home,  the  sharer  of  his  position  and 
title. 

Oh  !  it  was  too  cruel,  when  she  had  loved  him  so ;  when  she 
knew  that  she  could  have  made  him  so  happy,  while  Josephine 
had  only  sought  to  win  him  from  selfish  and  ambitious 
motives. 

She  knew  now  that  she  had  never  despised  him — never 
scorned  him,  as  she  told  him  that  night  at  Mr.  Richards'. 

She  knew  that  never  for  a  moment  had  she  swerved  in  the 
least  degree  from  her  allegiance  to  him  ;  that  her  heart  had 
been  true  and  loyal  to  him,  even  when  she  had  thought  most 
bitterly  of  him  ;  and  she  knew,  too — this  was  the  worst  of  all 
to  contemplate — that  she  should  go  on  loving  him  as  long  as 
ehe  lived. 

Five  days  they  had  been  married. 

The  wedding  had  occurred  the  tenth  of  December,  and  it 
fvas  now  the  fifteenth. 

It  almost  seemed  as  if  she  would  have  given  as  many  years 
of  her  life  to  have  saved  him  from  such  a  fate  as  she  believed 
would  be  his  with  that  vain  and  heartless  girl  for  his  life-long 
companion. 

Of  course  it  would  do  no  good  to  grieve  over  that  now ;  but 


STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


375 


her  own  future  looked  like  a  weary  journey,  marked  only  by 
the  mile-stones  of  duty,  without  a  stage  of  happiness  to  cheer 
her  along  the  way. 

She  had  known  nothing  of  the  Richardses  coming  abroad  ; 
that  notice  of  Josephine's  marriage  had  been  the  first  intima 
tion  that  she  had  had  of  it. 

She  wondered  if  she  had  not  sent  her  that  paper — if,  having 
seen  their  names  and  address  registered  at  the  American  Lega 
tion,  she  had  not,  from  a  spirit  of  cruel  triumph,  sent  it  to 
wound  and  humiliate  her. 

Yes,  she  was  sure  it  must  be  so. 

But  she  should  never  know  how  fully  her  vila  purpose  had 
been  accomplished.  She  would  hide  her  anguish  deep  within 
her  own  heart.  Wherever  she  went  she  would  appear  with  a 
bright  face  and  smiling  lips,  and  no  one  should  dream  that  her 
heart  lay  like  a  withered  thing  in  her  bosom. 

Mr.  Rosevelt  came  in  to  see  her  several  times  during  the 
day,  and  she  always  smiled  and  told  him  she  was  resting  so  as 
to  be  fresh  for  the  evening. 

Mrs.  Blunt  tried  to  make  her  give  up  the  reception,  but  she 
would  not,  protesting  that  she  was  as  well  as  ever,  although  she 
could  r.ot  hide  her  misery  quite  so  effectually  from  that  good 
woman's  sharp  eyes. 

"Something  has  happened  to  upset  her  and  break  her  heart 
again,  or  I'm  much  mistaken,"  she  muttered,  uneasily,  while, 
according  to  Star's  direction,  she  laid  out  her  elegant  dress  for 
the  evening. 

She  had  learned  to  read  that  fair  young  face  too  plainly  not 
to  feel  sure  that  something  very  unusual  had  occurred  to  pros 
trate  her  so. 

Nine  o'clock  came,  and  Star  Gladstone,  a  vision  of  bewilder 
ing  beauty,  entered  the  drawing-room  of  the  United  States 
Minister's  elegant  residence,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  distin 
guished-looking  attendant. 


376 


STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


There  was  a  buzz  of  admiration  as  she  crossed  the  threshold, 
as  there  always  was  wherever  she  appeared,  for  it  was  not  often 
that  even  that  place  was  graced  by  the  presence  of  one  so  won- 
drously  gifted  with  beauty. 

She  wore  a  dress  of  pale  ecru  silk,  rich  and  heavy,  and  made 
perfectly  plain  save  for  the  deep  flounce  of  costly  lace  which 
reached  almost  to  her  knees,  and  the  delicate  vine  or  fringe  of 
drooping  ferns  that  headed  it. 

Her  fair,  beautifully  formed  arms  and  neck,  which  were  con 
cealed  only  by  the  same  rare  lace,  were  clasped  by  unique  orna 
ments  of  dull  gold,  and  these,  together  with  the  cluster  of  fine 
ferns  upon  her  bosom,  fastened  there  with  a  miniature,  dia 
mond-studded  bouquet-holder,  comprised  her  only  ornaments. 

But  her  face,  so  pure  and  peerless,  looking  out  beneath  that 
golden  crown  of  hair,  though  a  little  paler  than  usual  from  her 
recent  pain,  was  the  loveliest  object  in  that  vast  room. 

''American  ladies  are  noted  for  their  beauty,  I  believe;  but 
though  I  have  met  many,  I  have  never  yet  seen  a  more  exquis 
ite  face  and  form  than  that,"  said  one  gentleman  to  another, 
who  stood  leaning  against  the  frame  of  the  door  through  which 
Star  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  had  passed  but  a  moment  before. 

"You  are  right;  but  Gladstone,  which  is  the  young  lady's 
name,  sounds  more  English  than  American,"  returned  the  gen 
tleman  addressed. 

"They  are  registered  as  Americans,  however,  and  she  has  the 
peculiar  beauty  of  one, "  said  the  first  speaker.  ' '  They  have  a 
way  of  enhancing  their  charms,  too,  by  their  perfect  taste  in 
dress.  Our  English  ladies,  as  a  rule,  do  not  understand  the  art 
of  dressing  well,  though  there  are,  of  course,  exceptions  to  the 
rule,  as  Miss  Vivien  Sherbrooke's  charming  costume  over  there 
testifies.  By  the  way,"  he  added,  with  more  animation,  "they 
say  that  that  handsome  young  American — Meredith,  they  call 
him — is  going  to  win  our  Cheshire  beauty  away  from  us." 

He  glanced,  as  he  ceased  speaking,  across  the  room  to  where 


STELLA  'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


377 


Miss  Sherbrooke  was  sitting,  while  Ralph  Meredith,  in  an  atti 
tude  of  devotion,  was  bending  over  her  chair. 

He  was  talking  to  her  in  a  low  tone,  a  smile  on  his  hand 
some  lips,  a  new  light  in  his  fine  eyes,  while  she  listened  with 
drooping  lids  and  flushed  cheeks. 

But  chancing  to  glance  up  suddenly,  Ralph  started  and 
uttered  a  low  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"Excuse  me  a  few  moments;  I  see  friends,"  he  said;  and 
then  leaving  her  hastily,  he  made  his  way  quickly  across  the 
room. 

"  Miss  Gladstone !"  he  cried,  approaching  and  holding  out 
his  hand  to  her,  his  face  all  aglow.  "I  never  was  so  happily 
surprised  in  my  life !  And  here  is  Mr.  Rosevelt,  too !  How 
does  it  happen  that  you  are  here?  It  seems  almost  like  home 
to  see  home  faces. 

Star  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  greeted  him  most  cordially,  while 
Vivien  Sherbrooke  sat  and  watched  them  with  wondering  eyes 
and  sinking  heart. 

Who  could  this  beautiful  young  girl  be  who  appeared  so 
delighted  to  meet  the  man  whom  she  had  been  learning  to  love 
of  late? 

What  was  she  to  him  that  she  had  power  to  make  his  face 
light  up  like  that,  and  cause  him  to  forget  for  the  time  the 
existence  of  any  one  else? 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  charming  Miss  Sherbrooke 
was  for  the  moment  jealously  inclined  to  regard  Star  as  her 
rival. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  you  are  not  quite  so  well  as  usual.  Your 
Western  trip  was  too  much  for  you,  was  it  not?"  Ralph  said, 
when  their  greetings  were  over,  as  he  noted  her  paleness,  and 
was  quick  to  see  the  look  of  pain  in  her  expressive  eyes. 

"Oh,  no;  I  am  very  well,  and  you  are  looking  finely.  I 
think  English  air  must  agree  with  you,"  Star  said,  quickly  turn 
ing  attention  from  herself  to  him. 


378 


STELLA  'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


"  Yes,  1  am  in  excellent  condition,"  he  confessed,  with  rising 
color,  as  he  remembered  how  miserable  he  had  been  when  he 
last  saw  her,  and  what  had  caused  the  change  in  his  feelings 
and  appearance.  "How  long  have  you  been  in  London?"  he 
queried. 

"Only  a  week,"  Mr.  Rosevelt  answered. 

"Wasn't  it  a  sudden  start?" 

"Rather.  I  am  here  just  now  on  a  matter  of  business,  but 
we  intend  to  see  something  of  this  side  of  the  world  before  we 
go  back,"  the  old  gentleman  explained,  with  a  smile. 

"We  hoped  we  should  find  you  somewhere  on  our  travels, 
for  a  familiar  face  makes  the  heart  of  the  stranger  glad,  you 
know, "  Star  said.  ' '  I  received  a  letter  from  Grace  to-day,  and 
she  writes:  'Be  sure  and  hunt  up  Ralph,  who  is,  without 
doubt,  in  London  now. '  But  who  is  that  pretty  young  lady 
across  the  room  with  the  blush-roses  in  her  hair,  and  with 
whom  I  saw  you  talking  as  I  came  in  ?" 

Mr.  Meredith  flushed  again  at  this ;  but  his  eyes  kindled  as 
he  glanced  over  at  Vivien,  and  replied  : 

"Oh,  that  is  an  acquaintance  that  I  have  made  since  com 
ing  here.  Come,  and  let  me  introduce  you." 

He  purposely  avoided  mentioning  her  name,  wishing  to  see 
how  Star  would  receive  the  introduction. 

As  he  turned  to  lead  the  way  to  Vivien,  she  looked  up  at 
Mr.  Rosevelt  and  smiled  archly. 

He  understood  her,  and  gently  patted  the  hand  on  his  arm 
while  he  nodded  his  head,  and  said,  dryly : 

"  He'll  do,  my  young  lady,  never  fear." 

"Miss  Sherbrooke,  allow  me  to  make  you  acquainted  with 
Miss  Gladstone,  a  friend  from  beyond  the  sea ;  also  Mr.  Rose 
velt.  Miss  Gladstone,  Mr.  Rosevelt — Miss  Sherbrooke." 

Ralph  Meredith  watched  Star  closely  while  he  introduced 
and  she  exchanged  greetings  with  Archibald  Sherbrooke's 
sister;  and  although  she  might  have  appeared  self-possessed 


STELLA  'S    MENTAL    AGONY. 


379 


enough  to  the  casual  observer,  he  noticed  the  quick  catching  of 
her  breath  as  she  heard  the  familiar  name,  and  remarked  the 
flush  which  leaped  into  her  hitherto  pale  cheeks,  and  which, 
although  pain  had  caused  it,  enhanced  her  loveliness  tenfold. 

"  It  is  Archie's  sister,"  Star  said  to  herself,  as  their  two  white- 
gloved  hands  met,  and  a  thrill  of  keenest  pain  shot  through 
every  nerve. 

"How  lovely  she  is!"  she  added.  "Her  eyes  are  like  his 
in  their  expression,  although  not  in  color.  Oh  !  I  should  have 
loved  her,  I  know ;  and  how  rashly  I  have  thrown  all  my  hap 
piness  away !" 

It  needed  all  the  power  of  her  will  to  sustain  her  as  she 
stood  there  beside  Miss  Sherbrooke,  apparently  so  calm,  and 
chatted  with  her  for  the  next  fifteen  minutes ;  and  Vivien  never 
mistrusted  the  wild  emotions  which  were  surging  in  the  heart 
of  her  new  acquaintance,  with  whom  she  was  exceedingly 
pleased. 

"  How  perfectly  charming  she  is !"  she  thought,  as  for  a  mo 
ment  Star  turned  to  speak  to  Ralph,  and  she  studied  her  face 
more  closely. 

Then  she  started  violently. 

Surely  she  had  seen  that  face  somewhere  before — those  great, 
earnest  blue  eyes — that  white  forehead  gleaming  through  a 
golden  mist — that  straight,  delicate  nose,  and  those  beautiful 
red  lips. 

Yes,  surely  it  was  the  face  that  her  brother  had  painted  when 
he  was  in  America ;  only  there  was  a  look  of  pain  in  those  eyes 
now  that  there  had  not  been  then  ;  there  were  tense  lines  about 
the  small,  sweet  mouth,  and  a  seriousness  about  th  whole 
countenance  which  told  that  the  passing  years  since  then  had 
not  been  full  of  unalloyed  pleasure. 

It  was  the  same,  nevertheless,  she  felt  convinced,  and  she 
resolved  that  she  would  find  Archie,  point  Miss  Gladstone  out 
to  him,  and  ascertain  if  she  were  right  in  her  surmises. 


380  STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGOffY. 

"Perhaps,"  she  thought,  light  suddenly  breaking  in  upon 
her  mind,  "it  was  something  connected  with  this  lovely 
stranger  which  had  caused  his  own  sadness  during  the  last 
year. " 

A  gentleman  approached  her  just  then,  and,  turning  to  Star, 
she  said,  with  a  smile  : 

"I  must  ask  to  be  excused,  as  I  have  an  engagement  to 
dance  now.  I  am  sorry  to  leave  you  in  the  midst  of  our 
pleasant  chat,  but  I  will  see  you  again  before  the  evening  is 
out. " 

Star,  with  an  answering  smile,  said  she  "hoped  they  would 
meet  again ;"  but,  oh !  how  she  longed  to  inquire  about  her 
brother.  If  she  had  but  spoken  just  one  word  to  tell  her  that 
he  was  well  and  happy. 

Happy !     The  thought  nearly  made  her  cry  out  with  pain. 

He  must  be  changed  indeed  if  he  could  be  that  with  Jo 
sephine  Richards ;  and,  loving  him  as  she  did,  it  was  agony  to 
contemplate  it 

What  if  he  himself  was  there  among  that  gay  throng,  with 
the  bride  he  had  so  lately  wedded? 

What  if  she  were  to  meet  them  together? 

For  a  moment,  as  this  contingency  presented  itself  to  her, 
her  brain  reeled,  and  she  felt  as  if  her  senses  were  forsaking  her 
again ;  the  next,  she  called  all  her  pride  to  her  aid. 

This  would  never  do ;  no  one  must  ever  mistrust  her  weak 
ness  and  wretchedness,  and  Ralph  Meredith  surely  would  if 
she  gave  up  to  her  feelings,  for  had  she  not  told  him  of  her 
false  lover? 

It  was  strange,  she  thought,  that  she  should  have  found  him 
with  Archie's  sister,  and  she  wondered  if  they  had  met  and 
Ralph  had  called  him  to  account  for  his  treatment  of  her,  as  he 
had  said  he  should. 

Oh  I  why  had  she  not  been  more  reasonable?    Why  did  jhe 


STELLA'S    MENTAL    AGONY.  381 

not  let  him  explain  his  position  to  her  when  he  had  begged  so 
earnestly  to  do  so  ? 

She  felt  as  if  she  could  not  bear  to  remain  there — she  longed 
to  go  away  by  herself  until  she  could  get  a  little  more  calm ; 
and,  seeing  that  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  Ralph  were  deeply  engaged 
in  conversation,  she  slipped  away  unobserved  to  a  small  ante 
room,  which  connected  the  drawing-room  with  the  conserva 
tory,  and  which  she  saw  was  at  that  moment  empty. 

Here  she  sat  down  in  a  chair  near  a  large  urn  rilled  with 
flowers,  which  stood  on  one  side  of  the  door  leading  into 
the  conservatory,  and  fell  to  musing  sadly  upon  her  broken 
hopes. 

She  had  not  been  there  long  when  she  was  aroused  by  hear 
ing  a  gay  laugh  ring  out  close  at  hand.  She  started  as  if  some 
viper  had  stung  her. 

She  knew  that  sound  but  too  well,  and,  looking  up,  she  saw 
Josephine  Richards,  or  Lady  Carrol,  as  she  believed  her  to  be, 
standing  almost  beside  her. 

She  was  just  upon  the  threshold  and  was  looking  back  into 
the  conservatory,  from  which  she  had  come,  and  at  a  couple 
standing  there  among  the  flowers. 

She  had  been  exchanging  some  jesting  words  with  them,  and 
her  laugh  was  in  reply  to  some  playful  remark  from  them. 

She  was  dressed  all  in  white ;  she  wore  it  almost  constantly 
now,  for  she  knew  she  looked  lovelier  in  it  than  in  anything 
else ;  everybody  had  told  her  that  she  had  never  been  so  beau 
tiful  as  when  she  had  stood  beside  Lord  Carrol  during  that 
mock  ceremony.  There  were  great  pearls  in  her  hair  and  on 
her  arms,  and  clusters  of  white  lilacs  on  her  bosom. 

Star  held  her  breath  as  she  looked  at  her,  thinking  that  she 
was  indeed  wondrously  fair,  and  that  it  was  not  strange  that  she 
should  allure  any  one  by  her  beauty ;  but  she  believed  she  was 
dressed  thus  because  she  was  a  bride. 

How  bright  and   happy  she   looked,   too,   with   the  vivid 


382  REHEARSING     THE    PAST. 

color  in  her  cheeks,  her  eyes  sparkling  from  the  excitement 
of  the  moment,  and  with  that  light  laugh  just  leaving  her 
red  lips ! 

Why  should  she  not  be  happy,  Star  thought,  bitterly,  as  the 
wife  of  one  of  the  noblest  men  in  England,  and  occupying  one 
of  the  proudest  positions  in  the  land? 

A  heavy  sigh  involuntarily  escaped  her,  and,  hearing  it,  Jo 
sephine  turned  quickly  to  see  whence  it  came. 

"Stella  Gladstone!"  she  exclaimed,  and  instantly  all  the 
color  went  out  of  her  face,  all  the  light  from  her  eyes,  the 
laughter  frcm  her  lips,  and  she  stood  regarding  the  beautiful 
girl  with  lowering  brow  and  angry  eyes. 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

REHEARSING    THE    PAST. 

Star  arose  as  she  addressed  her  thus,  and  with  the  act  all  her 
pride  arose  as  well. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  speaking  with  cold  politeness.  "I  suppose 
you  are  surprised ;  you  did  not  expect  to  meet  me  here,  Miss — 
Lady  Carrol. " 

Josephine's  face  lighted  at  those  last  words,  and  a  wicked 
gleam  leaped  into  her  black  eyes. 

"No,  I  did  not,"  she  returned,  trying  to  call  a  happy  smile 
to  her  false  lips.  "And — and — you  have  heard,  then?"  and, 
dropping  her  darkly  fringed  lids  as  if  in  confusion,  she  played 
with  some  flowers  which  she  held  in  her  hands,  and  looked  the 
modest  bride  to  perfection  at  being  addressed  by  the  title  she 
had  so  lately  assumed. 

"Yes,  I  have  heard  of — or  at  least  I  saw  your  marriage  in  a 


REHEARSING     THE    PAST.  383 

paper  which  was  sent  me  recently,"  Star  answered,  trying  hard 
to  steady  her  voice,  and  resolving  that  the  girl  who  hated  her  so 
should  not  suspect  the  torture  she  was  enduring. 

But  Josephine  did  suspect  it,  and  was  determined  not  to  let 
her  go  without  wringing  her  heart  with  something  of  the  agony 
which  she  had  suffered. 

Lord  Carrol  had  dared  to  tell  her,  in  the  midst  of  her  humil 
iation,  that  he  loved  Star,  and  she  was  bound  to  be  revenged  in 
some  way  for  it. 

She  had  sent  her  the  Cheshire  Gazette,  even  as  Star  had  mis 
trusted,  but  she  had  not  expected  to  get  any  such  satisfaction  as 
this  out  of  it 

She  had  been  down  to  the  American  Legation  and  found  out 
out  where  Mr.  Rosevelt  was  stopping,  and  then  had  marked 
that  paragraph  and  mailed  that  paper  to  Star,  just  to  arouse  her 
jealousy  and  show  her  that  she  had  been  a  guest  in  Lord 
Carrol's  home  for  a  week. 

It  had  never  entered  her  head  that  she  would  only  read  the 
notice  of  that  mock  marriage,  and  believe  it  real,  not  observing 
that  it  was  connected  with  the  remainder  of  the  article  describ 
ing  Lady  Sherbrooke's  ball. 

But  she  now  saw  that  such  was  the  case.  Star  believed  that 
she  was  really  Lady  Carrol ;  and  she  knew  something  of  what 
she  must  be  suffering  on  account  of  it,  and  with  a  sense  of 
cruel  exultation  she  resolved  to  give  the  wheels  of  the  rack  that 
.she  was  on  another  vigorous  turn. 

She  felt  that  the  lovers  would  without  doubt  meet  before 
long — perhaps  that  very  evening,  for  she  had  seen  his  lordship 
there  only  a  short  time  previous  to  this  meeting,  and  she  was 
assured  he  would  waste  no  time  in  coming  to  an  understanding 
with  Star;  but  now,  while  she  had  her  in  her  clutches,  she 
would  make  the  most  of  her  opportunity. 

"I  presume  it  is  something  of  a  disappointment  to  you  to 
find  me  here,  and — and  situated  just  as — I  am,  when  you  so 


384  REHEARSING     THE    PAST. 

confidently  expected  to  win  his  lordship,"  sneered  Josephine. 
"You  perceive  that  it  is  not  always  safe  to  be  too  trusting,  and 
a  young  peer,  even  though  he  were  traveling  under  an  assumed 
name,  and  made  love  to  a  pretty,  poverty-stricken  girl,  to  while 
away  an  idle  hour,  could  not  be  expected  to  marry  her." 

Star  was  very  pale,  but  she  was  more  than  a  match  for  the 
unfeeling  girl  in  her  proud  beauty. 

She  stood  like  a  tall  and  stately  lily  before  her,  and  to  all 
outward  appearance  she  was  no  more  moved  by  her  scathing 
words  than  the  snows  on  the  peaks  of  lofty  mountains  are 
stirred  by  the  fierce  winds  in  the  valley  far  below  them. 

"Lord  Carrol  did  not  travel  under  an  assumed  name.  I 
have  discovered  that  Sir  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord  Carrol, 
of  Carrolton,  are  one  and  the  same,"  Star  replied,  with  cold 
dignity. 

Josephine  started,  then  remembering,  said  : 

"Oh,  of  course;  I  forgot  that  both  names  were  given  in  the 
notice  of  the  marriage.  But,"  she  went  on,  taking  an  intense 
delight  in  the  torture  she  was  sure  she  was  inflicting,  although 
her  fair  victim  gave  no  sign,  "you  have  no  idea  how  lovely 
Cheshire  House  is — that  is  where  the  dowager  Lady  Sherbrooke 
lives;  and  Carrolton  is  even  more  delightful,  1  am  told.  We 
intend  to  go  there  before  very  long ;  but  London  is  very  gay 
just  now,  though  it  is  out  of  season,  and  we  are  having  such 
nice  times  that  we  prefer  to  remain  here  for  the  present. " 

She  glanced  at  Star  angrily. 

If  she  would  but  betray  the  least  suffering,  to  show  that  six, 
was  wounded  by  this  apparent  triumph  over  her,  she  would 
have  been  content. 

But  she  stood  there,  her  graceful  form  proudly  erect,  her 
shining  head  thrown  slightly  back,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  her  face 
with  an  indifferent  glance  that  galled  her  almost  beyond  endur 
ance,  while  her  manner  was  that  of  indulgent  politeness,  as  if 


REHEARSING    THE    PAST.  385 

she  were  but  listening,  in  a  well-bred  sort  of  way,  to  the  bal> 
blings  of  a  spoiled  child. 

"I  presume  you  have  heard,"  she  resumed,  "that  we  came 
abroad  to  take  possession  of  the  estates  of  Sir  Charles  Thorn 
ton,  whose  death  leaves  mamma  the  nearest  of  kin,  and  there 
fore  we  shall  all  henceforth  occupy  a  very  high  position  in  this 
country. " 

•' '  Indeed  ?"  Star  responded,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of  no  mo 
ment  to  her.  "I  have  heard  of  Sir  Charles  Thornton,  but  I 
did  not  know  that  you  were  '  nearest  of  kin'  to  him." 

"Well,  you  know  it  now,"  Josephine  retorted,  sharply, 
beginning  to  lose  her  temper  at  Star's  immobility;  "and  for 
tunately  we  can  do  exceedingly  well  without  Uncle  Jacob's 
monev,  which  you  so  cunningly  managed  to  wheedle  him  out 
of.  We  shall  not  return  to  America,  for  we  can  enjoy  so  much 
more  here  among  the  nobility,  where,  as  I  told  you  before,  our 
position  is  so  high,  and  mine  particularly,  you  know,  as — as 
Lady  Carrol,  is  one  to  be  rather  envied." 

This  last,  she  thought,  must  be  a  dagger  in  the  fair  girl's 
breast,  but  she  was  wholly  unprepared  to  have  it  turned  against 
her  own. 

"May  I  take  the  liberty  to  ask  Miss  Richards  what  she 
means  by  the  statements  which  she  has  made — to  explain  her 
self,  if  indeed  that  is  possible"  said  a  deep,  stern  voice  just 
behind  her. 

Both  girls  started  and  turned  instantly  at  the  sound,  and  both 
uttered  a  cry — one  of  surprise,  the  other  of  dismay. 

Lord  Carrol  himself  stood  in  the  door-way  of  the  conserva 
tory  from  which  Josephine  had  entered,  and  through  which  he 
had  passed  on  his  way  from  another  portion  of  the  building 
back  to  the  drawing-room. 

He  had  seen  Ralph  Meredith  and  Mr.  Rosevelt  but  a  mo 
ment  or  two  after  Star  slipped  away.  They  told  him  that  she 
was  there,  and  he  had  instantly  left  them  to  seek  her. 


386  REHEARSING    THE    PAST. 

He  had  seen  her  standing  there  in  the  anteroom  through  the 
glass  as  he  approached,  and  he  recognized  her  instantly, 
although  the  sight  had  nearly  unmanned  him. 

As  he  drew  near,  however,  he  heard  Josephine's  voice,  sharp 
and  scoffing,  and  addressing  the  strangest  words  to  her. 

He  stood  still  and  listened,  perfect!}-  aghast  at  what  she  was 
saying,  until  he  comprehended  the  whole  situation;  and,  when 
she  made  that  last  amazing  assertion,  he  could  endure  no 
more,  and  entered  to  confront  her. 

Star,  with  one  look  into  his  white  set  face,  and  a  glance  of 
astonishment  from  him  to  Josephine,  whose  countenance,  for 
once  in  her  life,  expressed  blankest  dismay,  sank  back  pale  and 
shivering  into  the  chair  from  which  she  had  risen  when  Miss 
Richards  addressed  her. 

That  young  lady  felt  for  the  moment  as  if  she  would  like  the 
ground  to  open  and  swallow  her  forever  from  sight. 

But  the  situation  was  a  desperate  one — so  desperate  that  she 
did  not  care  for  anything ;  so,  quickly  rallying,  she  tossed  her 
dark  head  and  retorted  with  a  light  laugh : 

"Miss  Gladstone  was  just  telling  me,  my  lord,  that  she  had 
heard  of  my  marriage,  and  I  was  only  carrying  out  the  joke  a 
little  further." 

"I  understand  you,"  he  said,  briefly,  but  in  accents  of 
intense  scorn. 

Then,  with  a  quick,  eager  step,  he  came  between  her  and 
Star,  who,  with  her  white  hands  folded  helplessly  in  her  lap,  her 
face  like  purest  marble,  felt  as  if  earth  was  again  slipping  for 
ever  out  of  her  reach,  for  her  senses  were  reeling. 

With  a  stern,  authoritative  gesture  he  motioned  Josephine 
away,  and,  reaching  down,  he  took  Star's  hands  in  his. 

"My  darling,"  he  said,  in  low,  thrilling  tones,  "has  she 
been  torturing  you  to  death?  There  is  not  one  word  of  truth 
in  what  she  has  told  you.  Come  with  me,  and  let  me  explain 
everything  to  you. " 


REHEARSING    THE    PAST. 

A  mocking  laugh,  which,  however,  was  full  of  miser}-,  rang 
through  the  room. 

Lord  Carrol  looked  back  and  saw  Josephine,  her  face  almost 
convulsed  with  pain  and  passion,  passing  out. 

"  Don't  think  that  it  is  going  to  be  all  clear  sailing  even  now, 
my  proud,  spirited  lord,  for  I  will  spoil  it  all  if  I  can." 

•'Come,"  he  murmured,  gently  turning  again  to  .Star,  and 
paying  no  heed  to  those  threatening  words. 

He  drew  her  unresisting  hand  within  his  arm,  and  led  her 
through  the  conservatory  out  upon  a  covered  porch  at  the 
rear. 

This  porch  was  more  like  a  room,  for  during  the  winter  it 
was  inclosed  with  glass  windows,  and,  being  heated  with  steam, 
formed  a  part  of  the  hot-house. 

He  placed  the  fair  girl  in  a  chair  in  a  secluded  corner,  and 
then  he  knelt  down  before  her. 

He  took  her  hands  again  and  drew  them  to  his  breast,  where 
she  could  feel  the  great  heart-throbs  which  made  his  strong 
frame  quiver  like  a  tree  struck  by  the  woodman's  ax. 

"My  darling,"  he  said  again,  "I  have  seen  Mr.  Rosevelt, 
and  he  told  me  that  you  were  here.  I  have  been  looking  for 
you  everywhere  during  the  last  fifteen  minutes.  Dearest,  you 
will  let  me  defend  myself  now,  will  you  not?  You  will  not 
turn  away  from  me — you  will  not  spoil  both  our  lives  by  again 
driving  me  from  you,  believing  me  to  be  a  'traitor  and 
coward  ?' " 

Star  shivered.  Those  words  smote  her  with  terrible  pain  ; 
but  her  heart  had  been  bounding  with  new  hope  since  he  had 
so  sternly  confronted  Josephine  Richards  and  proclaimed  her 
assertion  a  lie. 

She  could  not  comprehend  it,  for  she  had  read  the  notice  of 
their  marriage  with  her  own  eyes.  Yet  she  instinctively  trusted 
him,  and  it  was  so  sweet,  after  all  the  miserable  past,  to  have 


388  REHEARSING     THE    PAST. 

him  there,  looking  so  fondly  down  into  her  eyes,  and  calling 
her  his  darling  in  those  dear,  familiar  tones. 

"Archie — Archie  !"  she  murmured,  with  a  sob,  "I  know  all 
about  it — you  were  never  a  traitor  or  a  coward.  I  know  you 
never  deceived  me,  and  I  alone  am  guilty  of  a  great  wrong  to 
you." 

With  a  low  cry  of  joy  he  gathered  her  close  in  his  arms,  and 
laid  her  shining  head  upon  his  breast,  calling  her  by  every 
endearing  name  with  which  his  heart  was  filled. 

"  You  know  all  about  it,  my  love?  Who  has  told  you?"  he 
asked,  surprised. 

"  Just  one  little  sentence  in  a  newspaper,  which  told  me  also 
that,  when  at  the  very  moment  I  found  you  had  been  true,  my 
life  was  to  be  a  blank  as  long  as  I  should  live/'  Star  said,  with 
unsteady  voice  and  quivering  lips.  "  I  read,"  she  added  "  the 
notice  o!  your  marriage  with  Miss  Richards  in  the  Cheshire 
Gazette.  These  two  names,  Archibald  Sherbrooke  and  Lord 
Carrol  were  printed  there,  and  told  me  the  whole  story.  I 
knew  then  how  I  had  been  deceived.  But  I  cannot  under 
stand.  " 

She  broke  off  suddenly,  and  drew  herself  away  from  him 
shivering  and  sick  at  heart  again. 

Surely  that  notice  would  never  have  been  printed  if  he  was 
not  married,  and  she  had  no  right  to  be  thus  in  the  arms  of 
another  woman's  husband. 

She  knew  that  he  neither  loved  nor  respected  Josephine 
from  the  way  he  had  addressed  her ;  he  called  her  Miss 
Richards,  too,  but  it  was  a  puzzle  that  she  could  not  com 
prehend. 

Lord  Carrol  read  her  thoughts,  and  saw  by  her  white  face 
how  she  was  suffering,  and  he  said,  with  infinite  tenderness  : 

"  My  love,  it  was  all  a  farce,  a  mock  marriage  planned  by  a 
wild  and  thoughtless  girl,  while  I  was  chosen  as  one  of  the 


REHEARSING    THE    PAST.  389 

unfortunate  victims  and  Miss  Richards  the  other.  Did  you  not 
read  the  description  which  followed  that  notice?" 

"No;  I  read  nothing  but  those  horrible  words,  which  told 
me  of  my  own  injustice,  and  that  you  and  I  would  be  parted 
forever.  They  burned  themselves  into  my  brain  as  if  they 
had  been  branded  there  with  a  hot  iron,  and  I  cared  to  read 
no  more." 

"If  you  had,"  he  returned,  "you  would  have  been  unde 
ceived;  but  I  was  very  angry  when  I  saw  how  the  affair  had 
been  published,  and  if  I  could  ascertain  who  wrote  it  up,  I 
should  be  tempted  to  chastise  the  writer- severely." 

Star  was  weeping  now ;  great,  glad  tears  of  joy  chased  each 
other  over  her  cheeks,  and  she  did  not  resist  him  when  he  drew 
her  into  his  arms  again,  wiping  with  his  own  hands  the  glitter 
ing  drops  as  they  fell,  while  in  low,  tender  tones  he  told  her  all 
about  the  strange  events  which  had  conspired  to  separate  them 
for  so  long. 

"Will  you  forgive  me,  Archie?  I  was  very  hard  upon  you, 
but  I  was  nearly  mad  with  my  misery  that  night  when  I  refused 
to  listen  to  you/'  Star  said,  when  the  story  was  ended. 

"Forgive  you,  my  own?  This  moment  compensates  for 
everything.  How  were  you  to  know  that  a  titled  relative  had 
died,  making  me  his  heir,  and  changing  or  adding  to  my 
name  ?  I  was  indeed  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  bound  for  Amer 
ica,  to  travel  and  study  art  there,  when  we  went  on  that 
steamer.  I  merely  dropped  the  'Sir'  lest  you  should  be  shy  of 
me.  I  did  indeed  know  of  the  change  in  my  circumstances 
when  I  next  saw  you  in  the  station  in  New  York,  but  in  my 
fear  of  losing  you,  I  resolved  not  to  tell  you  until  I  had  won 
vou,  feeling  afraid  that  you,  in  your  modesty,  would  refuse  to 
Lord  Carrol  the  love  you  would  perhaps  give  to  Archibald 
Sherbrocke.  I  never  suspected,  when  I  accepted  Mrs,  Rich 
ards'  invitation  to  visit  her,  that  I  was  going  into  the  very  house 
where  my  own  love  dwelt.  I  had  paid  Miss  Josephine  some 


39° 


REHEARSING     THE    PAST. 


attention  at  Long  Branch,  but  her  mother  was  always  included, 
and  it  was  only  in  a  friendly  way,  as  I  was  drawn  toward  them 
from  having  discovered  that  they  were  of  English  descent,  and 
connected  with  people  here  whom  I  knew.  I  intended,  as  I 
told  you  that  night,  to  seek  you  the  very  next  day ;  and  when  I 
had  won  the  consent  of  your  friends  to  an  engagement  with 
you,  in  the  character  of  Archibald  Sherbrooke,  I  was  going  to 
tell  you  of  my  real  position  in  life.  Now,  dear,  you  know  that 
I  have  never  swerved  from  my  allegiance  to  you.  I  have  been 
as  true  as  truth  itself,"  he  concluded,  smiling  fondly  dewn 
upon  her. 

"I  have  been  very  foolish,  Archie,"  Star  whispered,  "but, 
oh  !  I  am  very,  very  happy  now.  I  was  so  utterly  wretched 
this  morning.  I  have  been  so  wretched  all  day  that  it  required 
all  my  courage  to  come  here  to-night ;  but  I  forced  myself  to 
do  so  because  I  did  not  wish  Uncle  Jacob  to  mistrust  any 
thing.  " 

"And  I  hear  that  my  modest  little  Star  has  become  a  great 
heiress ;  she  is  no  longer  the  quiet,  retiring  little  maid  whom  I 
was  so  proud  and  happy  to  have  won  that  day  when  we  went  to 
Coney  Island,"  Lord  Carrol  said,  half  regretfully. 

Star  lifted  her  head  from  his  breast  and  looked  at  him 
inquiringly,  and  he  thought  rather  more  searchingly  than  the 
occasion  required. 

"I  mean,"  he  explained,  "that  Mr.  Meredith  has  told  me 
that  Mr.  Rosevelt  has  adopted  you  as  his  heiress." 

She  drew  a  long  breath,  but  merely  returned,  in  an  absent 
way: 

"Yes." 

"Mr.  Meredith  told  me  more,  too,  my  darling,"  her  lover 
resumed;  "he  was  the  one  who  lifted  the  burden  of  sadness, 
caused  by  your  sentence  of  banishment,  from  my  heart.  I 
imagined,  also,  although  his  confidence  did  not  extend  quite 
so  far  as  this,  that  he  ha*4  ^een  my  unsuccessful  rival,  and  that 


REHEARSING     THE    PAST. 


391 


was  why  you  confessed  what  you  did  to  him  regarding  your 
affection  for  me." 

<;Did  Mr.  Meredith  tell  you  that "  Star  began,  blushing 

crimson  as  she  remembered  what  her  confession  had  been. 

"Yes,  my  beloved,  and  no  hungry  heart  ever  feasted  upon 
sweeter  words.  They  changed  the  whole  future  for  me,  and  I 
was  intending  te  start  again  for  America  in  just  three  weeks,  to 
seaich  for  the  star  of  my  life;  the  past  has  been  very  lonely  and 
hopeless. " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  Star  returned,  with  a  long  sigh  ;  "and  yet," 
she  added,  looking  up  with  a  smile,  "  I  am  glad  that  I  am  not 
to  come  to  you  quite  so  empty-handed  as  you  found  me." 

"You  surely  do  not  regret  the  promise  that  you  made  me 
then?"  Lord  Carrol  questioned,  reproachfully. 

"No;  for  it  proves  that  you  won  me  for  myself  alone;  but 
now  that  I  know  you  are  a  peer  of  England,  it  is  a  comfort  to 
feel  that  no  one  can  point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  me  and  say 
that  you  have  chosen  beneath  you." 

He  stopped  her  with  a  tender  caress. 

"No  one  should  ever  have  said  that  to  me  with  impunity, 
under  any  circumstances,"  he  rejoined,  gravely. 

They  talked  a  long  time,  and  everything  was  explained — all 
the  events  of  the  past  rehearsed,  all  Josephine's  duplicity  and 
hatred  made  known. 

"She  is  a  heartless  woman — a  most  contemptible  woman," 
Lord  Carrol  said,  with  curling  lips  and  stern  brow;  "and  I 
deeply  regret  that  she  is  to  become  a  resident  in  England,  as 
we  shall  doubtless  be  obliged  to  meet  her  in  society.  She  has 
wronged  you  shamefully,  my  darling.  However,"  he  added, 
with  a  luminous  smile,  "she  considers  that  the  'position  ©f 
Lady  Carrol  will  be  an  enviable  one,'  and,  since  you  are  to  fill 
it,  I  think  her  punishment  will  not  be  a  light  one." 

Her  punishment  was  to  be  no  light  one,  but  he  had  no  idea 
how  humiliating  it  would  be. 


392 


REHEARSING     THE    PAST: 


Another  blissful  half-hour  slipped  unheeded  by,  and  then  he 
said: 

"Come,  dear;  people  will  begin  to  wonder  what  has  become 
of  us,  and  besides,  I  want  to  introduce  you  to  my  mother  and 
sister. " 

He  arose  as  he  spoke,  and  drew  her  toward  the  conservatory, 
through  which  they  must  pass  in  order  to  regain  the  drawing- 
room. 

"I  have  already  seen  your  sister,"  Star  answered,  with  a 
bright  smile,  "and  I  began  to  love  her  immediately,  and  to 
mourn  what  I  had  lost  in  not  having  her  for  my  sister,  too. " 

"She  is  a  dear  girl,  but  I  begin  to  think  we  shall  not  keep 
her  with  us  very  much  longer,"  Archie  returned,  with  a  regret 
ful  sigh. 

"I  thought  so,  too,  when  Mr.  Meredith  introduced  her  to 
me  to-night, "  Star  said,  archly. 

"Ah!  then  you  read  the  signs  of  the  times,"  he  answered, 
smiling.  "  But  here  comes  my  mother,  and  she  is  looking  for 
me,  I  know,  by  the  expression  of  her  face. " 

They  were  just  entering  the  drawing-room  as  he  spoke,  and 
Lady  Sherbrooke  was  coming  toward  them,  looking  right  and 
left  for  her  son. 

Her  handsome  face  lighted  as  she  saw  him,  and  she  quick 
ened  her  steps,  while  she  wondered  at  that  new  light  in  his 
eyes,  at  the  bright  and  youthful  expression  on  his  face. 

"Mother,"  Archibald  Sherbrooke  said,  and  there  was  a 
proud  ring  in  his  tone,  "I  want  to  introduce  to  you  Miss 
Gladstone,  a  friend  whom  I  met  while  I  was  in  America." 

Lady  Sherbrooke  shot  a  keen  glance  into  that  lovely,  blush 
ing  face,  and  there  came  a  look  of  surprise  into  her  own,  while 
for  once  she  lost  something  of  the  graceful  self-possession  that 
was  habitual  to  her  as  she  greeted  Star. 

Her  heart  went  forth  to  the  young  girl  at  once,  and  she 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


393 


(experienced  a  shock  akin  to  that  which  Vivien  had  felt  when, 
she  met  her. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 
THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 

There  was  something  strangely  familiar  about  that  slight, 
graceful  form  and  in  those  lustrous  eyes — in  that  golden- 
crowned  head,  and  the  now  happy,  smiling  lips. 

"Miss  Gladstone,  I  am  very  glad  to  meet  you,"  she  began, 
as  she  cordially  put  out  her  hand  to  her ;  then  turning  abruptly, 
and  speaking  with  a  slightly  startled  accent,  she  added : 

"Archie,  surely  I  have  met  her  before?" 

"Yes,"  he  answered,  his  face  glowing;  "  I  see  that  you  have 
recognized  her." 

"Star,"  and  the  tender  inflection  on  that  name  told  his 
mother  everything,  "she  has  seen  the  picture  that  I  painted 
when  I  was  in  America,  and  she  has  now  discovered  who  the 
original  is." 

' '  Yes,  my  dear, "  Lady  Sherbrooke  added,  while  she  studied 
the  beautiful,  flushed  face;  "I  do  recognize  your  countenance, 
and  I  am  quite  proud  of  my  son's  achievements  as  an-  artist. 
You  are  an  American,  I  believe.  I  am  very  happy  to  welcome 
you  to  England." 

Star's  heart  beat  rapidly  at  this  cordial,  almost  tender  greet 
ing,  and  wondered  if  she  was  indeed  the  same  girl  who,  feeling 
so  wretched  and  forlorn,  had  entered  that  room  only  two  hours 
before. 

"No,  mother;  Miss  Gladstone  is  not  an  American,"  Archie 
explained.  "  She  is  an  English  lassie,  and  we  met  on  shipboard 
while  crossing  the  Atlantic;  but  more  of  that  story  anon,"  he 


394 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


said,  significantly.  "Now,  will  you  entertain  her  for  a  few 
moments  while  I  go  and  find  Vivien?" 

"With  pleasure,"  Lady  Sherbrcoke  responded,  her  heart 
bounding  to  hear  those  clear,  joyous  tones  ringing  through  her 
son's  voice — sounds  which  she  had  not  heard  before  since  his 
first  return  from  America ;  while  she  said  to  herself: 

"  This  is  the  girl  whom  my  son  loves  and  will  choose  for  his 
wife ;"  and  her  heart  warmed  toward  Star  as  it  never  had  done 
before  toward  another  outside  of  her  own  family. 

After  finding  his  sister  and  taking  her  back  to  Star  and  his 
mother,  Lord  Carrol  sought  Mr.  Rosevelt  and  had  a  long  talk 
with  him,  explaining  to  him,  as  he  had  to  his  dear  one,  the 
unfortunate  circumstances  which  had  conspired  to  separate 
them,  and  learning  in  return  something  of  their  life  during  the 
past  fourteen  or  fifteen  months. 

After  this  he  rejoined  the  trio  of  ladies — those  three  beautiful 
women  whom  he  loved  above  everything  else  in  the  world. 

"The  'story'  that  you  were  going  to  tell  me,  Archie,  but 
did  not,  as  you  were  called  away  to  London,  is  told.  I  read  it 
in  your  face  to-night,  and  in  that  of  the  beautiful  girl  to  whom 
you  have  introduced  me.  My  boy,  I  think  now  that  you  will 
be  your  own  dear  self  once  more,"  Lady  Sherbrooke  whispered, 
as  he  came  and  stood  by  her  side,  and  his  eyes,  in  reply,  told 
her  more  than  his  lips  could  have  done ;  but  he  asked,  in  a 
low,  intense  tone : 

"  Is  she  not  rightly  named  Star?" 

"She  is  charming;  I  have  no  fault  to  find  with  her  per 
sonally.  But  her  family?"  she  questioned,  cautiously.  ' 

"Is  all  right  also,  mother  mine.  I  will  toll  you  all  about  it 
to-morrow. " 

In  a  distant  corner  of  the  room  Mrs.  Richards  and  Josephine 
sat  and  viewed  this  meeting,  bitterest  envy  rankling  in  their 
hearts. 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


395 


The  angry  girl  had  sought  her  mother  upon  leaving  the  ante 
room,  and  told  her  of  Star's  presence  there. 

"I  declare  it  is  more  than  human  nature  can  bear  to  be 
obliged  to  encounter  her  everywhere.  And  to  think  that  such 
a  miserable,  insignificant  little  chit  as  she  was  when  she  came 
to  us  should  win  game  after  game  from  us.  She  is  a  proverbial 
checkmate,  I  believe,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  complainingly.  "But 
even  if  she  does  become  Lady  Carrol,"  she  added,  "  I  shall  take 
care  that  she  does  not  outshine  us.  Thank  fortune,  we  shall 
have  a  handsome  income  to  flourish  upon." 

"I  hate  her — I  hate  them  both!  and  I  wish  I  were  deadF 
Josephine  cried,  passionately. 

When  Mr.  Rosevelt,  Lord  Carrol,  and  his  party  were  about 
retiring,  they  encountered  the  Richardses  in  the  great  hall. 

Mr.  Kosevelt  took  no  notice  of  them,  although  he  would 
have  greeted  Mr.  Richards  had  he  been  with  them,  and  they 
guiltily  avoided  him. 

The  young  lord  bowed  coldly,  and  would  have  passed  on, 
but  Josephine,  in  a  sudden  fit  of  desperation,  laid  her  hand 
upon  his  arm,  saying,  in  low,  fierce  tones : 

"  I  give  you  joy  of  your  chambermaid  bride !  But  beware ! 
You  will  not  feel  quite  so  jovial  when  all  London  rings  with 
the  fact  that  the  proud  Lord  Carrol  has  married  a  common 
house-servant!" 

' '  Miss  Richards, "  he  returned,  haughtily,  ' '  even  such  a  state 
ment  of  facts  could  not  injure  the  fair,  pure  woman  whom  I 
have  chosen  for  my  wife ;  but  allow  me  to  say  that  if  you  are  so 
ill-disposed  as  to  publish  anything  of  the  kind,  you  will  find, 
to  your  sorrow,  that  the  shafts  from  your  venomous  tongue  will 
only  serve  to  poison  still  further  your  own  life. " 

"We  shall  see  !"  she  sneered. 

"You  will  find,"  he  went  on,  as  if  he  had  not  heard  her, 
"that  Miss  Gladstone  is  so  far  above  you,  both  morally  and 


396  TOE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 

socially,  that  it  does  not  lie  in  your  power  to  do  her  the  slightest 
injury." 

"We  shall  see,  my  lord !"  the  maddened  girl  repeated,  vin- 
dictively ;  but,  without  giving  her  time  to  say  more,  his  lord 
ship  passed  on  to  Star's  side,  and  drawing  her  hand  within  his 
arm,  led  her  away  to  her  carriage. 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

The  day  came  at  last  which  was  to  decide  Mrs.  Richards' 
claim  to  the  Thornton  estates,  and,  according  to  appointment, 
she  repaired  to  the  office  of  Compton  &  Bailey,  in  the  highest 
of  spirits,  dressed  in  the  most  magnificent  style,  and  accom 
panied  by  Josephine,  clad  with  equal  richness,  and  her  husband. 

"Well,  Mr.  Compton,  my  probation  is  ended  at  last, "she 
said,  gayly,  to  that  gentleman,  as  she  entered,  and  greeted  him 
with  her  most  gracious  manner. 

"Ahem  !  I  suppose  we  may  say  that  it  is,"  he  returned,  in  a 
strangely  embarrassed  way. 

"Well,  then,  I  presume  there  is  no  need  of  further  delay, 
and  we  can  take  possession  of  the  late  Sir  Charles'  property  as 
soon  as  we  choose,"  she  remarked,  too  deeply  engaged  with 
thoughts  regarding  her  own  brilliant  future  to  notice  his 
manner. 

"Ahem  !"  the  lawyer  repeated,  an  uneasy  expression  on  his 
face;  "I  did  expect  that  I  could  tell  you  to-day  everything  was 
all  right  and  you  could  go  down  to  Halowell  Park  as  soon  as 
you  liked;  but — — " 

"But  what?"  Mrs.  Richards  demanded,  with  some  show  of 
impatience.  "It  appears  to  me  that  you  are  somewhat  mys 
terious  this  morning,  when  heretofore  you  have  acknowledged 
my  relationship  to  Sir  Charles  Thornton  to  be  proved  beyond 
a  doubt" 

"Yes,  madam,  you  have  clearly  proved,  it  cannot  be  con 
tested,  that  you  were  a  relative  of  the  late  baronet's ;  but — I  am 
sorry — it  will  be  a  great  disappointment  to  you,  doubtless.  10 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


397 


learn  at  this  late  day  that  another  party  has  put  in  a  claim  for 
the  estate,  as  being  the  nearest  of  kin." 

The  lawyer  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief  when  he  had  stumbled 
through  this  piece  of  ill-news. 

"What?"  almost  screamed  Mrs.  Richards,  reeling  where  she 
stood. 

She  had  never  even  thought  of  such  a  calamity. 

"There  is  no  nearer  relative  living,"  she  continued,  with  pale 
lips.  "You  yourself  said  you  were  convinced  of  that." 

"And  so  I  was,  a  month  ago,  madam;  but  I  have  been 
obliged  to  change  my  opinion  since  then." 

"What — what  has  changed  it?"  she  asked,  trembling  with 
fear  and  excitement. 

It  would  be  too  dreadful  now,  when  the  prize  was  almost 
within  her  grasp,  to  lose  it,  and  to  be  obliged  to  return  poor 
and  disappointed  to  America. 

"You  remember,  perhaps,"  the  lawyer  said,  avoiding  meet 
ing  her  eyes,  for  they  were  wild  in  their  expression,  ' '  that  I  told 
you  that  Sir  William  Thornton — the  late  Sir  Charles'  father — . 
had  a  younger  brother,  Albert  by  name " 

' '  Yes,  but  you  said  that  he  left  home  years  ago  to  go  as  a 
missionary  to  some  outlandish  place,  where  he  died,"  inter 
rupted  the  anxious  woman. 

"Where  it  was  supposed  he  died,"  said  Mr.  Compton,  with 
significant  emphasis. 

"Did  he  not  die? — is  he  living? — has  he  returned?"  his 
client  gasped. 

' '  No  ;  he  died  some  years  ago ;  but  he  left  a  child.  That 
child  is  living,  and  has  put  in  a  claim  for  the  estate." 

"But  you  told  me  he  left  no  issue " 

"It  was  all  supposition,  madam,  since  we  could  learn 
nothing  to  the  contrary;  but  we  have  recently  learned  our 
mistake. " 

' '  He  shall  not  have  the  property ;  he  may  be  an  impostor. 


398 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


I  shall  contest  the  point,"  Mrs.  Richards  said,  with  fiantic 
vehemence. 

"  Ellen,  do  be  reasonable,"  said  her  husband,  sternly. 

"Unfortunately  for  your  peace  of  mind,  madam,  it  is  i  point 
that  cannot  be  contested, "  returned  Mr.  Compton  ;  ' '  and,  if 
you  will  give  me  your  attention  for  a  few  moments,  I  will  ex 
plain  it  to  you. " 

With  a  groan.  Mrs.  Richards  sank  into  a  chair,  more  wretched 
than  she  had  ever  been  in  her  life. 

"Your  mother,"  began  the  lawyer,  also  seating  himself,  and 
motioning  Mr.  Richards  and  Josephine  to  do  the  same,  "was 
half-sister  to  the  late  Sir  Charles'  mother.  That  made  her  half- 
aunt  and  you  half-cousin  to  him.  That  relationship,  however, 
would  have  been  near  enough  to  give  you  the  property  had  no 
nearer  claimant  appeared.  Sir  William  Thornton,  the  late  Sir 
Charles'  father,  and  Albert  were  own  brothers;  consequently, 
the  child  of  Albert  would  be  own  cousin  to  the  late  Sir  Charles, 
and  being  a  descendent  on  his  father's  side,  by  far  the  nearest 
of  kin.  Have  I  made  it  clear  to  you  ?" 

He  glanced  as  he  spoke  at  Mr.  Richards,  who  nodded,  while 
his  wife  covered  her  face  and  groaned  aloud. 

"Now,"  resumed  Mr.  Compton,  "I  will  tell  you,  in  as  few 
words  as  I  can,  the  story  of  this  younger  brother,  Albert  Thorn 
ton.  He  was  quite  a  number  of  years  Sir  William's  junior,  and 
at  an  early  age  dissented  from  the  established  church  and  re 
ligion  of  his  ancestors,  and  insisted  upon  going  as  a  missionary 
to  Africa.  This  so  enraged  his  father  that  he  disowned  him, 
charging  him  never  to  show  his  face  inside  his  ancestral  home 
again.  Deeply  wounded,  but  still  adhering  to  his  convictions 
«f  duty,  he  went  to  Africa,  but  was  obliged  to  return  to  Eng 
land  again  in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  years,  on  account  of 
foiling  health.  He  did  not,  however,  present  himself  in  the 
home  from  which  he  had  been  banished,  for  this  neither  his 
pride  nor  his  wounded  heart  would  allow  him  to  da  He 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


399 


therefore  settled  in  a  distant  county,  where  he  had  charge  of  a 
small  parish  at  a  merely  nominal  salary,  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  Not  long  after  his  return  he  married  a  gentle  and 
lovely  girl,  and  one  child  was  born  to  them,  who,  recently  see 
ing  our  advertisement  for  the  nearest  of  kin  to  Sir  Charles,  has 
presented  a  claim  for  the  estate. " 

'Who  is  this  child? — where  is  it? — where  did  it  come  from 
at  this  late  day?"  questioned  Mrs.  Richards,  who  felt  as  if  all 
the  world  was  slipping  away  from  her. 

"Wait  one  moment  and  I  will  introduce  you,"  the  lawyer 
said,  as,  rising,  he  gently  retired  to  his  inner  office. 

He  returned  almost  immediately  with  a  lady  on  his  arm. 
Mrs.  Richards  started  to  her  feet  and  uttered  a  piercing  scream 
the  moment  her  eyes  fell  upon  her. 

The  lady  was  Star  Gladstone ! 

"That  girl  again!"  shrieked  Mrs.  Richards.  "You  don't 
mean  to  tell  me  that  she  is  the  heir  to  Sir  Charles  Thornton's 
property  ?" 

"  Yes,  madam,  this  young  lady  and  no  other;  but  I  was  not 
aware  that  you  had  the  honor  of  her  acquaintance,"  responded 
Mr.  Compton,  with  some  surprise,  as  he  led  Star  to  a  seat 

"  But  her  name  is  Gladstone " 

"  Have  a  little  patience  and  I  will  explain  still  further,"  in 
terrupted  the  lawyer,  who  was  beginning  to  be  disgusted  with 
one  who  gave  way  so  to  passion. 

"Miss  Gladstone  tells  me  that  she  has  been  known  by  that 
name  all  her  life;  that  until  her  eighteenth  birthday  she  was 
not  aware  that  she  was  entitled  to  any  other.  But  her  father 
left  a  package  of  papers  at  his  death,  containing  a  history  of 
his  life,  with  all  the  necessary  proofs,  but  charged  her  not  to 
open  it  until  she  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  this  he  related 
what  I  have  already  told  you,  and  also  the  fact  that  when  he 
was  a  child,  his  father,  through  the  death  of  a  relative,  suc 
ceeded  to  the  title  and  estates  of  the  Thorntons  of  Devonshire, 


400 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


upon  condition  that  he  assumed  the  name.  Such  things  hap 
pen  often  here  in  England,  you  know,  as  in  the  case  of  Lord 
Carrol,  whom  you  are  acquainted  with.  When  the  elder  Mr. 
Gladstone,  or  Thornton,  died,  of  course  William,  his  eldest  son, 
succeeded  to  the  baronetcy.  Albert,  the  second  son,  upon  his 
return  and  settlement  in  a  parish  of  Derbyshire,  gave  his  name 
as  Rev.  Albert  Gladstone,  and  under  this  name  married  a  Miss 
Chudleigh,  who  was  also  discarded  by  her  family  for  wedding  a 
poor  dissenting  clergyman — one  who  was  deemed  far  beneath 
her  socially,  as  no  one  suspected  his  connections  with  the 
Thorntons.  After  her  death,  and  when  Mr.  Gladstone  found 
that  he  also  had  not  long  to  live,  he  said  he  could  not  reconcile 
himself  to  the  thought  of  giving  his  orphan  daughter  to  the 
care  of  those  to  whom  he  had  been  a  stranger  so  long,  although 
his  own  blood  flowed  in  their  veins ;  so  he  arranged  to  send 
her  to  a  distant  relative  of  his  mother's  in  America,  who  agreed 
to  take  charge  of  her  and  her  education  for  her  sake.  This  last, 
however,  Miss  Gladstone  has  told  me,  and  her  residence  in  that 
country  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  the  late  Sir  Charles,  and 
her  ignorance  regarding  her  relationship  to  him,  accounts  for 
the  fact  that  we  have  but  just  discovered  her  claim.  Everything 
is  as  plain  as  black  and  white  can  make  it.  We  have  looked 
up  the  records,  and  find  they  correspond  with  the  papers  in  her 
possession,  and  among  which  is  a  certificate  of  her  parents'  mar 
riage,  and  one  of  her  own  baptism,  together  with  other  impor 
tant  documents ;  and  now,  I  think,  you  cannot  fail  to  perceive 
that  Miss  Gladstone,  being  Sir  Charles  Thornton's  own  cousin, 
is  the  nearest  of  kin,  and  we  shall  therefore  be  obliged  to  give 
her  claim  the  precedence.  I  regret,  madam,"  the  lawyer  con 
cluded,  in  his  blandest  tones,  "that  we  did  not  learn  of  this  in 
season  to  save  you  the  trouble  and  expense  of  such  a  long 
journey.  However,  I  trust  that  you  have  reaped  enjoyment 
sufficient  from  the  trip  to  compensate  you  in  a  measure  for  your 
disappointment," 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE.  4OI 

Mrs.  Richards  looked  blankly  from  one  to  another  of  the 
occupants  of  that  room,  as  if  she  could  not,  even  yet,  compre 
hend  the  magnitude  of  the  calamity  which  had  so  unexpectedly 
overtaken  her. 

"  I  do  not  believe  one  word  of  it.  It  is  all  a  piece  of  fraud 
to  cheat  me  out  of  my  rights,"  she  cried  at  length,  while  her 
own  blazing  eyes  threatened  to  annihilate  the  beautiful  girl,  her 
successful  rival,  who  sat  opposite  with  downcast  eyes,  and  feel 
ing  really  sorry,  in  spite  of  all  that  she  had  suffered  at  Mrs. 
Richards'  hands,  for  her  distress  over  this  terrible  defeat. 

"Do  not  allow  yourself  to  become  unreasonable  over  the 
matter,  madam,  I  pray.  There  has  not  been,  I  assure  you, 
even  the  suspicion  of  a  fraud,"  Mr.  Compton  said,  his  own  eyes 
beginning  to  take  fire  at  this  assertion.  "The  papers  are  all 
there  on  my  table;  everything  has  been  written  out  in  the 
plainest  manner,  and  copies  made  of  all  the  records  which  go 
to  prove  what  I  have  told  you.  You  can  examine  them,  if  you 
choose ;  but  there  cannot  be  the  slightest  doubt  regarding  Miss 
Gladstone's  claim.  She  alone  inherits  everything  belonging  to 
the  late  Sir  Charles  Thornton." 

"  Oh,  she  has  been  the  bane  of  our  lives ;  she  has  ruined 
and  upset  every  plan  that  we  have  made  since  the  day  when  she 
first  set  foot  in  our  house — since  she  came  to  us  like  the  beggar 
that  she  was, "  sobbed  the  wretched  woman,  giving  way  utterly 
to  her  misery. 

"Ah!  then  you  are  the  woman  to  whom  Albert  Thornton 
confided  his  orphan  daughter  when  he  knew  that  he  could  not 
live?"  said  Mr.  Compton,  quickly,  his  keen  mind  at  once  grasp 
ing  certain  facts  which  Star,  from  a  feeling  of  delicacy,  had 
withheld  from  him,  when,  to  her  surprise,  she  learned  that 
Mrs.  Richards  had  also  come  to  England  to  claim  the  Thorn 
ton  estates. 

"That  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case.     She  has  ruined  us, 


402 


THE    LAWYER'S    REBUKE. 


and  that  is  enough  to  think  about  for  one  day,  I  should  im 
agine,"she  retorted,  angrily,  and  flushing. 

"  Ellen  !"  and  Mr.  Richards  spoke  very  sternly  ;  "you  are  as 
unreasonable  as  a  child.  Star  has  been  kindly  disposed  from 
the  first  It  is  you  who  have  tried  to  ruin  her — who  have  op 
pressed  and  sought  to  degrade  her  in  a  way  that  is  a  shame  to 
you  and  your  promises  to  her  dead  father.  It  is  a  bitter  thing 
to  be  obliged  to  condemn  my  own  wife  thus  publicly,  but  I 
cannot  calmly  listen  to  your  calumniations  of  her,  for,  instead 
of  being  our  ruin,  she  has  been  our  salvation.  Only  this  fall, 
when  my  business  was  tottering,  and  my  reason  with  it — when  I 
was  upon  the  verge  of  bankruptcy — of  self-destruction — I  confess 
it  with  shame  and  sorrow  now — she  came  to  me  like  a  beam 
of  light  and  saved  me  from  becoming  both  a  bankrupt  and  a 
suicide.  She  gave  me,  or  caused  to  be  given  to  me,  a  check 
for  ten  thousand  dollars,  which  set  me  upon  my  feet  again.  She 
spoke,  too,  such  solemn,  gentle  words  to  me  as  I  shall  never 
forget,  and  which  kept  me  from  the  horrible  pit  into  which  I 
was  stumbling,  and  we  owe  all  that  we  are  and  have  to  her. 
To  go  still  farther  back,  you  owe  your  life  to  her  mother. 
Josephine  was  saved  from  a  dreadful  death  by  Star's  bravery ; 
and,  instead  of  hating  her  because  unforeseen  circumstances 
have  raised  her  to  a  high  social  position,  we  should  rejoice  that 
it  is  so.  Star,  my  dear  girl,  you  have  at  least  one  grateful  heart 
in  my  family." 

He  went  over  to  her  side  and  put  out  his  hand  to  her, 
though  he  was  so  deeply  moved  that  it  shook  like  a  leaf,  and 
she  took  it  with  streaming  eyes,  and  wholly  unable  to  utter  a 
single  word  in  reply. 

What  a  wreck  that  heartless  woman  had  made  of  his  life,  she 
thought.  He  was  naturally  a  kind  and  tender-hearted  man,  and 
deserving  of  a  better  fate  than  had  been  his. 

But  his  wife  bridled  angrily,  losing  all  control  over  her 
tongue. 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


403 


,  "  I  wish  I  had  never  set  eyes  on  her  face ;  and  I  wish  your 
hand  had  been  palsied  before  it  ever  took  that  ten  thousand 
dollars  from  her.  She  came  into  our  family  and  stole  your 
heart  from  me  by  her  arts  and  sly  speeches ;  she  wheedled  oat 
of  Jacob  Rosevelt  the  fortune  that  should  have  been  mine ;  she 
tricked  Josephine  out  of  the  man  who  should  have  married 
her — who  would  have  done  so  but  for  her ;  and  now  she  has 
come  to  steal  the  inheritance  which  ought  to  have  been  mine. 
I  hate  her,  and  I  curse  her  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart !" 

' '  Then  you  are  a  thoroughly  bad  woman,  and  I  am  thankful 
that  Sir  Charles  Thornton's  estate  is  to  pass  into  more  worthy 
hands.  Much  as  I  sympathize  with  and  respect  your  husband, 
madam,  I  cannot  permit  my  young  client  to  be  insulted  in 
my  presence,  and  I  have  the  honor  to  wish  you  a  very  good- 
morning.  " 

Mr.  Compton  said  this  very  spiritedly,  his  fine  face  flushing 
with  indignation,  his  lips  curling  with  contempt,  while  he 
walked  to  the  door  of  his  office  and  held  it  open,  with  such  an 
air  of  stern  determination  that  Mrs.  Richards  did  not  dare  to 
disregard  this  very  emphatic  invitation  to  take  her  departure, 
and  she  walked  wrathfully,  but  utterly  crushed  by  her  bitter 
disappointment,  from  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XLIIL 

"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 

Yes,  beautiful  Star  Gladstone  was  the  heiress  to  Halowell 
Park,  and  all  other  property  belonging  to  the  late  Sir  Charles 
Thornton. 

Upon  reaching  home  after  her  trip  to  California,  which  had 


404 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


been  one  of  great  enjoyment  as  well  as  profit,  she  resolved  to 
settle  down  to  a  cozy,  quiet  life  for  the  remainder  of  the  winter, 
and  make  Uncle  Jacob  as  comfortable  as  she  possibly  could. 

She  was  sitting  in  her  own  pretty  room  one  morning,  some 
thing  as  Mrs.  Richards  had  sat  in  hers  only  a  few  weeks  pre 
vious  when  she  had  discovered  herself  to  be  the  heir  to  Halo- 
well  Park,  but  looking  happy  and  smiling,  instead  of  angry  and 
discontented. 

She  had  brought  a  pile  of  music  up  there  to  sort  and  arrange, 
it  having  been  upset  by  the  house-maid  while  dusting,  and  as 
she  was  looking  it  over,  she  came  upon  an  old  newspaper  that 
had  got  mixed  in  with  it. 

She  took  it  up  as  one  often  does,  and  ran  her  eye  carelessly 
over  its  columns. 

it  happened  to  be  the  very  paper  which  contained  the  notice 
of  Sir  Charles  Thornton's  death,  and  the  advertisement  for  the 
next  of  kin. 

Star  started  as  her  eye  caught  that  name.  Then  she  went 
over  both  paragraphs  carefully. 

"  I  do  not  believe  but  that  he  was  the  one  of  whom  papa 
wrote  in  that  package,"  she  murmured,  thoughtfully.  "It  must 
be  the  same,  for  he  was  the  owner  of  Halowell  Park  of  Devon 
shire.  He  was  papa's  own  nephew ;  there  are  no  heirs,  and — 
I  wonder  if  I  might  not  in  some  way  be  interested  in  this 
advertisement." 

With  heightened  color  she  arose,  and  going  to  a  drawer  in 
'Her  dressing-case,  drew  forth  that  worn  portfolio  which  we  have 
seen  before  on  several  occasions. 

Opening  it,  she  took  out  those  papers  which  she  had  read  on 
the  evening  of  her  eighteenth  birthday,  and  which  had  caused 
her  so  much  agitation. 

One  of  them  contained  a  history  of  her  father's  life,  as  we 
have  already  stated,  telling  how  his  religious  views  had  changed 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


4C5 


as  he  drew  near  manhood,  and  how  he  had  desired  to  go  to 
preach  to  the  heathen ;  how  this  had  angered  his  lather,  who, 
when  he  found  he  could  not  turn  him  from  his  purpose,  drove 
him  from  his  home,  telling  him  never  to  set  foot  in  it  again ; 
how  he  had  gone  to  Africa  full  of  holy  zeal,  but  failing  in 
health,  had  been  obliged  to  return  and  settle  in  a  small  parish 
of  Derbyshire.  Here  he  had  met  Miss  Chudleigh,  who  at  one 
time  was  visiting  in  the  neighborhood,  and  she  sympathizing 
with  him  in  his  views,  they  had  soon  grown  to  love  each  other, 
and  felt  that  life  would  be  nothing,  to  them  unless  spent  with 
each  other.  When,  however,  she  had  insisted  upon  marrying 
him  in  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  her  friends,  she  also  had 
been  discarded  by  them. 

"You  once  questioned  me  about  your  name,  my  child,"  he 
wrote,  "and  I  told  you  that  your  grandmother  had  given  it  to 
you.  I  have  sometimes  feared  I  was  harsh  with  you  when  you 
asked  me  about  my  family,  but  you  understand  now  why,  and 
forgive  me  if  I  seemed  so  to  you.  I  loved  my  mother  as  I 
never  loved  any  one  else  save  my  lost  Annie  and  you,  and  had 
she  been  living,  I  should  never  have  been  so  cruelly  banished 
from  my  home,  for  I  was  her  favorite  child.  She  was  a  grand 
and  noble  woman,  but  there  was  some  sorrow  connected  with 
her  early  life  which  I  could  never  wholly  fathom.  I  once,  upon 
coming  suddenly  into  her  room,  found  her  weeping  over  a  por 
trait,  and  when  I  asked  her  the  cause  of  her  grief,  she  put  it 
hastily  out  of  sight.  '  My  boy,  I  am  foolish  and  wrong  to 
grieve  over  the  past, '  she  said ;  '  but  I  once  lost  a  very  dear 
friend,  and  sometimes  feelings  arise  which  I  cannot  wholly  con 
trol.  I  want  you  to  do  something  for  me  sometime,'  she  added, 
trying  to  smile,  '  and  that  is,  if  you  should  ever  marry  and  have 
a  little  daughter,  you  will  call  her  Stella  Rosevelt  Gladstone.' 
'I  will  call  her  anything  vou  like,'  I  answered,  earnestly,  and 
then  she  kissed  me  with  trembling  lips  and  said  I  was  her 
'dear  boy.'  This  is  how  you  came  by  /our  name,  my  little  Star, 


4o6  "GOD     BLESS    OUR    STAR." 

Stella  was  my  dear  mother's  name ;  '  Rosevelt,'  I  have  grown  to 
believe,  was  one  that  was  sacred  to  her. " 

Then  there  was  more  about  his  family  relations — about  his 
father  and  brother.  He  said  there  were  very  few  of  his  kin 
living ;  he  knew  of  only  one,  now  that  his  brother  was  gone, 
and  that  was  his  only  child,  Sir  Charles  Thornton,  of  Halowell 
Park,  but  he  had  no  family;  he  probably  believed  that  he — 
Albert  Gladstone  Thornton — was  dead,  as  everybody  else  did. 
and  so  he  had  concluded  it  best  to  send  her — Star — to  America, 
to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Richards,  who  had  promised  to  care  for  her, 
and  who,  he  felt,  would  be  true  to  her  trust  for  the  sake  of  the 
debt  which  she  owed  her  mother. 

Before  he  had  died  he  charged  her,  when  giving  her  the 
package,  to  guard  it  as  a  sacred  treasure,  and  not  to  open  it 
until  the  stated  time,  and  she  had  promised  to  do  as  he  wished. 

After  Star  had  read  this  paper  through,  she  took  up  the 
others  and  went  carefully  over  them  ;  and  these  were  certificates 
and  records,  all  of  which  went  to  prove  the  truth  of  what  he 
had  written. 

Evidently  the  thought  had  never  occurred  to  him  that  Sir 
Charles  would  die  unmarried  and  childless,  and  that  she  would 
own  and  reign  in  the  home  from  which  he  had  been  banished  ; 
for  there  was  no  mention  of  any  such  thing,  and  no  desire  ex 
pressed  that  she  should  ever  seek  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance 
of  her  rich  cousin. 

When  she  had  been  through  them  all,  she  gathered  them 
up,  together  with  the  paper  in  which  she  had  seen  the  adver 
tisement  and  carried  them  below  to  Mr.  Rosevelt,  told  him 
something  of  her  suspicions,  and  asked  him  to  examine  them 
and  see  if  he  thought  she  would  be  likely  to  inherit  the  Thorn 
ton  property. 

He  did  look  into  them  carefully,  and  felt  convinced  that  Star 
stood  next  in  line  to  Sir  Charles. 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


407 


He  was  deeply  touched  upon  reading  her  father's  account  of 
his  mother,  and  his  own  early  love. 

Star  had  never  shown  it  to  him  before.  She  had  not  liked 
to  do  so  for  several  reasons,  deeming  it,  for  one,  a  sort  of  sacred 
trust  from  her  father,  and  thinking  also  that  it  might  sadden 
her  kind  friend. 

"I  cannot  understand  why,  when  her  husband  had  been  so 
kind  and  patient  with  her,  under  what  must  have  been  such 
trying  circumstances,  he  should  have  been  so  harsh  and  un 
loving  toward  his  boy  for  a  mere  difference  of  opinion,"  he 
murmured,  thoughtfully,  while  thinking  of  poor  Albert  Thorn 
ton's  banishment  from  home. 

"Little  girl, "he  said  to  Star,  "there  is,  I  believe,  a  good 
deal  in  this  for  you,  and  we  must  sail  for  England  immediately," 
and  Star  felt  her  heart  leap  within  her. 

England  was  Lord  Carrol's  home. 

Then  her  lips  had  curled  with  scorn  at  her  own  folly,  but  she 
agreed  at  once  to  do  whatever  Mr.  Rosevelt  advised,  and  in  a 
week  they  were  again  crossing  the  broad  Atlantic. 

Upon  seeking  an  interview  with  Compton  &  Bailey  and  laying 
their  case  before  them,  they  were  gratified  to  learn  that,  although 
other  claims  had  been  filed,  Star  was  the  nearest  of  kin  who 
had  yet  appeared  to  them. 

The  eminent  lawyers  at  once  set  themselves  to  work  to  look 
up  the  case,  found  all  the  records  to  correspond  with  those  in 
her  possession,  and  finally  pronounced  her  to  be  the  heir  to  the 
Thornton  property. 

Star  felt  greatly  surprised  and  troubled  upon  learning  that 
Mrs.  Richards  was  one  of  the  claimants,  for  she  had  no  desire 
to  contest  any  question  with  her,  or  to  appear  to  triumph  over 
her  in  any  way.  She  simply  wished  to  let  her  alone — to  drop 
her  entirely  out  of  her  life. 

When  the  day  came  round  that  was  to  decide  the  important 
question  for  the  expectant  woman,  Mr.  Compton  insisted,  mucK 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 

to  Star's  annoyance,  that  it  was  necessary  for  her  to  meet  her, 
and  the  rights  of  the  true  heir  to  be  established  in  the  presence 
of  all  parties. 

She  felt  a  real  pity  for  the  wretched  woman  when  the  lawyer 
led  her  out  to  confront  Mrs.  Richards  and  her  family,  for  she 
was  unwilling  to  cause  even  an  enemy  pain,  while  it  did  indeed 
almost  seem  as  if  she  was  destined  to  checkmate  every  move  in 
their  life ;  but  every  one,  even  herself,  who  knew  the  circum 
stances  of  the  past,  could  but  acknowledge  that  their  punish 
ment  was  a  just  one. 

The  days,  since  the  meeting  and  happy  reconciliation  of  Lord 
Carrol  and  Star,  had  been  full  of  joy  and  contentment. 

She  did  not,  however,  tell  him  of  her  expectations  regarding 
the  Thornton  property,  but  when  the  time  appointed  to  meet 
Mrs.  Richards  arrived,  she  asked  him  to  accompany  Mr.  Rose- 
velt  and  herself  to  Mr.  Compton's  office  upon  a  little  matter  of 
business. 

He,  with  them,  remained  in  the  inner  office  during  the 
lawyer's  interview  with  his  claimants,  and  the  door  being  slightly 
ajar,  they  could  hear  all  that  passed  in  the  other  room. 

Lord  Carrol  was  greatly  astonished  at  what  he  heard,  but  he 
was  even  more  so  when  Mr.  Compton  came  in  and  led  Star 
forth  to  present  her  as  the  heiress  to  that  large  estate. 

"  I  am  almost  afraid  to  approach  you,  my  lady  of  Thornton. 
I  begin  to  fear  you  may  assume  some  new  character  at  any 
moment,  and  soar  so  far  beyond  my  reach  that  I  shall  lose  you 
entirely,"  he  said,  half  in  jest,  half  in  earnest,  when,  that  even 
ing,  he  came  to  see  her  in  her  own  room  in  St.  James  square. 

"You  know  I  told  you  I  was  glad  that  you  won  me  when  I 
was  a  poor,  obscure  little  maid,"  Star  answered,  slipping  her 
hand  confidingly  into  his. 

"I  feel  perfectly  sure  of  your  love,"  she  added,  "and  yet  I 
am  not  sorry  that  I  can  come  to  you  now  as  an  equal.  I  shall 
not  be  sorry  to  have  the  world  say  of  you  that  you  have  chosen 


"GOD    J3LESS    OUR    STAK." 


409 


wisely,"  she  concluded,  while  her  glowing  eyes  and  smiling  lips 
told  that,  for  his  sake,  she  exulted  in  her  new  position  and 
wealth. 

' '  What  the  world  might  say  of  you,  under  any  circum 
stances,  would  not  trouble  me,"  he  answered,  gravely.  "But 
I,  too,  am  glad  that  I  won  your  heart  when  you  had  nothing, 
if  it  secures  to  me  your  unbounded  trust.  I  do  not  know 
either,"  he  continued,  smiling,  "as  I  should  have  had  quite  as 
much  assurance  in  approaching  Sir  Charles  1  hornton's  wealthy 
heiress;  and  yet,"  with  a  proud  uplifting  of  his  handsome 
head,  "while  conscious  of  my  own  honor  and  rectitude,  I 
have  no  need  to  fear  to  approach  any  woman  whom  I  might 
love. " 

Star  was  standing  by  his  chair,  and  she  bent  and  touched  her 
lips  to  his  forehead  as  he  said  this.  She  was  very  proud  of  this 
grand,  true  man,  who  had  won  her  to  be  his  wife  simply 
because  he  loved  her. 

But  in  the  midst  of  her  joy  she  could  not  help  feeling  some 
thing  of  sadness  and  pity  for  Josephine  and  her  disappointed 
hopes. 

It  was  no  light  thing  to  have  loved  and  lost  such  a  man  as 
this,  and  she  would  gladly  have  comforted  her  had  it  been  in 
her  power  to  do  so. 

"Uncle  Jacob,"  she  said,  more  timidly  than  she  was  in  the 
habit  of  addressing  him,  the  next  time  she  was  alone  with  him, 
"  I  shall  have  so  much  money,  now  that  I  am  to  be  mistress  of 
Halowell  Park,  and — and  when  Archie  takes  me,"  she  added, 
with  a  burning  blush,  "that  I  wish  you  would  make  another 
will,  and  give  your  fortune,  or  a  part  of  it  at  least,  to  your 
'  nearest  of  kin. ' " 

"You  are  my  nearest  of  kin,"  he  said,  briefly. 

"  I  know  what  you  mean,"  she  replied,  affectionately ;  "our 
hearts  are  surely  akin ;  but — I  really  am  very  sorry  for  Mrs, 
Richards  and  Toseohine,  not  to  mention  poor  Mr.  Richards, 


4io 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


who  has  had  such  a  hard  time  of  it ;  and  perhaps  they  would 
feel  more  kindly  toward  me  if  they  thought  1  did  not  care 
for  so  much  money,  and  truly  I  do  not — I  never  can  use 
it  all." 

Jacob  Rosevelt  looked  at  her  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"  My  darling, "  he  said,  with  emotion,  "I  believe  you  have 
the  heart  of  a  saint,  but  I  cannot  alter  my  will — everything  I 
have  belongs  to  you ;  but  I  leave  you  free  do  do  whatever  you 
choose  with  it.  If  you  ever  find  people  in  need  and  wish  to 
help  them,  give  them  what  you  like ;  but  I  shall  never  break 
the  seal  of  my  will.  Child,"  he  added,  tremblingly,  "you 
have  been  all  the  world  to  me ;  and  more  than  this,  you  have 
helped  me  to  find  hope  for  the  world  to  come.  I  know  that 
you  will  have  a  great  deal  of  money  without  mine,  but  it  shall 
be  yours  nevertheless;  I  know  that  it  will  not  be  used  selfishly, 
and  I  cannot  leave  it  in  better  hands. " 

He  bent  down  and  touched  her  forehead  with  his  lips, 
and  then  left  her,  but  her  heart  was  filled  with  a  song  of 
praise. 

' '  You  have  helped  me  to  find  hope  for  the  world  to  come, " 
he  had  said ;  and  there  never  had  been  a  sweeter  message  sent 
in  answer  to  prayer,  she  thought. 

For  a  long  time,  she  had  noticed,  he  had  been  more  respect 
ful  whenever  the  name  of  the  Deity  had  been  uttered  in  his 
presence,  while,  when  he  had  accompanied  her  to  Sabbath 
services,  he  had  listened  attentively,  even  reverently  to  what  was 
said. 

Looking  back  to  that  dark  night  on  the  angry  waters,  when 
she  had  first  met  him,  and  remembering  his  sneers  at  her  trust 
in  the  "All  Father,"  and  his  bitter,  skeptical  retorts,  she  was 
surprised  at  the  change  that  had  gradually  come  over  him ;  and 
now,  to  her  amazement,  he  had  confessed  to  a  "hope'  for 
eternity. 

It  was  the  one  drop  too  many  in  her  cup  of  joy,  and  it 


»GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 

instantly  overflowed  in  happy,   thankful  tears,  and  in  a  low- 
voiced  pean  of  gratitude. 

*  *  *  *  * 

A  month,  Lord  Carrol  said,  was  all  the  time  that  he  could 
allow  his  fair  bride-elect  to  prepare  to  become  Lady  Carrol. 

"  But  I  have  so  much  to  do!"  Star  objected,  with  crimson 
cheeks. 

"Then  you  must  increase  your  forces,"  he  answered,  with  a 
fond  smile.  "I  know  that  it  is  'etiquette'  to  let  the  lady 
name  the  day,  but  considering  all  things,  I  think  I  ought  to 
have  that  privilege.  Darling,  we  have  been  separated  so  long 
that  I  do  not  feel  like  living  without  you  a  day  more  than  is 
actually  necessary.  My  mother  wants  you  to  come  to  her  in 
Belgrave  Square,  and  remain  as  her  guest,  while  she  and  Vivien 
will  assist  about  the  wonderful  trousseau,  which  they  consider 
indispensable  for  the  occasion  under  discussion." 

It  was  of  no  use  for  Star  to  make  objections,  for  they  were 
every  one  overruled,  and  it  was  at  length  decided  that  Lord 
Corrol  should  have  his  way,  and  she  went  to  Belgrave  Square 
for  the  intervening  month. 

Mr.  Meredith  was  cordially  urged  to  remain  in  London  untrt 
after  the  wedding,  and  as  Grace  had  been  sent  for  to  act  as 
bride-maid,  and  a  pair  of  clear  gray  eyes  had  earnestly  sec 
onded  the  appeal,  he  could  not  refuse. 

He  bore  this  "blighting"  of  all  his  previous  "hopes"  with 
wonderful  equanimity,  however,  and  ere  the  eventful  day 
arrived  that  was  to  make  Star  a  bride,  he  had  won  a  promise 
from  lovely  Vivien  Sherbrooke  that  at  the  end  of  another  year 
she  would  become  his  wife. 

' '  Fickle  !"  did  I  hear  some  fair  reader  ejaculate  in  a  tone  of 
contempt  ? 

Well,  perhaps  he  was ;  but  then  when  he  had  been  so  heart 
broken  over  Star's  rejection  he  did  not  know  that  there  was  a 
Vivien  Sherbrooke  in  the  world. 


412  "COD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 

We  are  always  disappointed,  often  unreasonably  so,  when  we 
cannot  get  what  we  want,  and  perhaps  his  passion  for  our 
heroine  was  not  quite  so  intense  as  he  had  imagined  it  to  be. 
However,  be  that  as  it  may,  Lord  Carrol's  fair  sister  had  con 
vinced  him  that 

"  Taking  the  year  together,  my  dear, 
There  isn't  more  cloud  than  sun." 

And  he  had  concluded  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  bask 
ing  in  the  sunlight  of  her  presence. 

Mrs.  Richards,  with  her  family,  lost  no  true  in  returning  to 
America  after  this  crushing  disappointment. 

They  could  not  remain  and  face  the  people  to  whom  they 
had  proudly  boasted  of  their  future  greatness,  nor  could  they 
bear  to  look  upon  Star's  happiness  and  triumph  over  them; 
while,  besides  all  this,  they  were  greatly  cramped  in  purse,  after 
the  extravagant  outlay  which  Mrs.  Richards  insisted  was  neces 
sary  for  people  with  their  expectations. 

Mr.  Richards  was  very  much  depressed,  for,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  money  which  they  had  spent,  he  feared  the  worst  from 
hi«  long  absence  and  neglect  of  business. 

He  went  to  see  Star  and  Jacob  Rosevelt  before  they  sailed  ; 
he  could  not  leave  without  bidding  them  farewell,  and  assuring 
them  of  his  gratitude  and  good-will. 

They  received  him  most  kindly,  and  he  spent  a  pleasant  hour 
with  them. 

As  he  took  Star's  hand  at  parting,  he  bent  down  and  kissed 
her  fair,  upturned  face,  while  great,  regretful  tears  rolled  down 
his  cheeks. 

"I  am  sorry  to  lose  you,  dear,"  he  said;  "but  I  know  you 
will  be  happy,  as  you  certainly  deserve  to  be,  and  may  Heaven 
bless  you  in  your  new  life.  I  shall  never  forget  how  much  I 
owe  you — how  you  saved  me  by  your  kindness,  and  I  know 
you  will  think  of  us  all  more  kindly  than  we  deserve. " 


"GOD    BLESS    OUR    STAR." 


413 


He  did  not  give  her  time  to  reply,  but  turning,  grasped  Mr. 
Rosevelt's  hand,  and  then  was  gone. 

A  year  later  she  heard  that  he  was  dead — that  he  died  sud 
denly,  after  struggling  hard  with  business  and  business  troubles, 
and  that  his  family  had  been  left  in  very  reduced  circum 
stances. 

Through  Ralph  Meredith  she  caused  a  handsome  sum  to  be 
invested,  the  income  of  which  they  were  to  enjoy  while  they 
should  live,  and  she  never  saw  or  heard  from  them  again. 
*  *  *  *  *  * 

St  George's  church,  Hanover  Square,  was  crowded  upon 
Star  Gladstone's  bridal  morning,  and  "no  bride  so  fair"  had 
passed  beneath  its  aristocratic  arches  for  many  a  year,  was  the 
verdict  which  all  Belgravia  pronounced  as  it  watched  her  leave 
the  altar  and  move  down  the  spacious  aisle  leaning  upon  the 
arm  of  her  noble  husband. 

Her  dress  was  of  Lyons  satin,  and  one  of  Worth's  most  ele 
gant  productions.  The  lace  which  adorned  it  was  the  finest 
and  costliest  which  far-famed  Brussels  could  produce,  and  the 
vail  "a  perfect  marvel." 

The  bridal  wreath  was  of  delicate,  feathery  clematis,  and  was 
fastened  to  her  head  and  vail  with  a  set  of  five  beautiful 
diamond  stars,  the  gift  of  Jacob  Rosevelt. 

Grace  Meredith  and  her  brother  presented  a  pair  of  elegant 
ear-ornaments  to  match ;  Lady  Sherbrooke  a  necklace  and  tiara 
of  pearls,  and — time  would  fail  me  were  I  to  enumerate  all  the 
costly  gifts  which  were  showered  upon  this  lovely  bride.  There 
were  six  bride-maids,  and  as  many  ' '  best  men. "  Jacob  Rose 
velt  gave  Star  away  to  the  man  whom  he  believed  to  be  worthy 
of  her  in  every  respect,  and  felt  as  if  he  were  indeed  giving  up 
his  own  and  only  child,  although  she  had  told  him  she  could 
never  consent  to  be  separated  from  him. 

They  were  to  spend  a  couple  of  months  at  Carrolton,  Lord 
Carrol's  country  seat,  whither  upholsterers  and  decorators  had 


414 


FAITH'S     TRIUMPH. 


been  sent,  as  soon  as  the  wedding  had  been  decided  upon,  to 
make  everything  fresh  and  attractive  for  them. 

Of  course  Mrs.  Blunt,  that  much  "mistaken"  but  honest  and 
affectionate  creature,  was  indispensable  at  this  time,  and  she 
was  made  about  as  happy  as  it  is  possible  for  a  mortal  to  be  in 
this  Ufe  by  Star's  assurance  that  she  should  be  a  fixture  in  her 
household  as  long  as  she  should  live. 

After  the  two  months  at  Carrolton  they  were  to  go  to  Halo- 
well  Park  for  a  season,  and  take  a  look  at  the  home  of  the 
Thorntons. 

There  was  to  be  no  stereotyped  tour.  Star  said  she  had 
traveled  enough  for  the  present,  and  would  much  prefer  to 
settle  down  to  quiet  home  life — perhaps  by  another  year  they 
might  feel  like  making  a  trip  to  the  Continent. 

Lady  Sherbrooke  had  already  grown  to  love  her  new  daugh 
ter  very  dearly. 

"It  is  well  that  I  do  love  her,"  she  said,  tearfully,  to  Vivien, 
when  the  grand  wedding  was  over,  the  guests  all  gone,  and 
they  were  left  by  themselves,  "  if  I  must  lose  you,  as  I  expect 
to,  before  very  long ;  but  if  I  had  searched  the  world  over  I 
could  not  have  found  a  fairer,  sweeter  wife  for  my  son.  Heaven 
bless  our  Star!  She  bids  fair  to  prove  a  guiding  light  in 
Archie's  home. " 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 
FAITH'S  TRIUMMI. 


"Star!" 

"Yes,  Uncle  Jacob. " 

"The  night  has  almost  come," 


FAITH'S    TRIUMPH. 

,    "The  dawn,  you  mean,  dear;  do  not  call  it  night,  for  truly 
I  believe  it  is  the  break  of  day  for  you." 

"  You  are  right;  I  should  not  call  it  night.  But  always 
remember,  dear,  and  let  the  thought  comfort  you  when  you 
come  to  miss  me,  that  your  hand  has  guided  me  through 
the  darkness,  pointing  me  ever  toward  the  light  of  a  better 
world." 

The  speaker  paused,  for  he  was  very  weak. 

Jacob  Rosevelt  lay  upon  a  luxurious  couch  in  an  elegant 
apartment  of  Lady  Star  Carrol's  beautiful  home,  and  looking 
his  last  upon  earth. 

Everything  that  wealth,  and  love,  and  care  could  do  had 
been  done  for  the  dear  old  man  whom  she  loved  so  fondly;  but 
now,  after  three  years  of  such  peace  and  content  as  once  he 
had  never  thought  to  enjoy,  he  was  dying. 

Star,  who,  in  a  spotless  white  wrapper,  sits  beside  him,  has 
grown  a  trifle  matronly  in  her  appearance,  a  little  rounded  and 
fuller  in  figure,  and  there  is  something  more  of  dignity  in  her 
bearing;  but  she  has  the  same  star-like  beauty — she  is  not  one  ' 
whit  less  lovely  or  less  deserving  of  her  name  than  when  we 
last  saw  her  on  her  bridal  morn. 

A  year  of  almost  unalloyed  happiness  passed  after  that  event, 
and  then  there  was  born  a  fine  heir  to  the  Carrol  estate — a  boy, 
of  whom  his  father  was  very  proud,  and  who  at  once  became 
the  pet  and  pride  of  the  whole  household. 

Uncle  Jacob,  with  this  little  one  folded  within  his  arms,  or 
sitting  crowing  upon  his  knee,  with  Star  fondly  attentive  to  his 
every  want,  and  Lord  Carrol  to  lean  upon  in  his  old  age,  felt  as 
if  he  had  attained  as  nearly  to  perfect  happiness  as  any  one 
could  do  in  this  world. 

But  during  the  third  year  after  their  marriage  he  had 
gradually  but  surely  failed,  until,  to  the  great  grief  of  all,  they 
were  obliged  to  acknowledge  that  he  had  not  long  to  live. 

This  was  the  first  great  sorrow  of  Star's  wedded  life ;  but  she 


4 1 6  FAITH '  S     TRIUMPH. 

strove  to  bear  it  cheerfully,  at  least  in  Mr.  Rosevelt's  presence, 
resolving  that  no  mourning  or  repining  should  cloud  the  little 
time  that  remained  to  him  to  live — that  there  should  be  noth 
ing  but  peace,  and  a  looking  forward  to  the  great  change  as 
simply  the  sweeping  aside  of  a  misty  vail  and  an  entrance  into 
something  more  blessed  and  beautiful  than  earth  could  give. 

Now  the  crisis  had  come,  and  the  old  man,  his  wan  face 
turned  toward  the  fading  light  of  a  glorious  day,  felt  that  his 
strength  and  senses  were  slipping  away  from  him,  and  told  the 
constant  watcher  by  his  side  that  the  "night  had  come." 

"  No,  I  ought  not  to  have  said  that,"  he  repeated,  after  a  few 
moments  of  rest,  while  a  smile  parted  his  pale  lips;  "the  night 
is  past,  and  you,  dear  one,  have  been  my  guiding  star  in  the 
midst  of  its  deepest  gloom.  I  did  not  have  much  faith  in  a 
better  future  until  I  knew  you ;  you  set  me  to  thinking  that 
night  on  the  angry  deep,  when  you  told  me  you  'had  been 
taught  to  trust  our  Heavenly  Father,'  and  that  'one  could 
hardly  have  much  faith  in  one's  self  at  such  a  time  as  that.' 
Yes,  your  simple  trust  in  your  Father's  faith,  your  pure  and 
gentle  life,  my  Star,  has  led  me  to  God,  and  without  a  fear  I 
resign  myself  into  His  hands;  before  another  day  dawns  I  shall 
have  entered  into  my  rest,  and  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  will 
shine  upon  me." 

"Oh,  Uncle  Jacob,"  Star  said,  her  voice  full  of  unshed  tears, 
but  with  a  holy  awe  shining  in  her  beautiful  face,  "you  have 
never  talked  so  plainly  to  me — you  have  never  opened  your 
heart  like  this  to  me,  and  I  am  so  thankful  to  you  for  speaking 
such  precious  words  to  me  before " 

She  stopped ;  her  trembling  lips  could  not  frame  the  words 
to  complete  the  sentence. 

"'Before  I  leave  you,  never  more  to  look  upon  your  dear 
face  in  this  life,"  he  said,  with  a  tender  smile  on  his  lips,  while 
the  light  of  faith  grew  brighter  in  his  eyes.  "Yes,  dear,  it  is 
so.  We  both  know  it,  and  why  not  speak  of  it  calmly,  as  of  a 


PS    TRIUMPH. 

journey,  during  which  we  should  be  separated  only  for  a  little 
while.  I  shall  go  first,  my  darling,  but  the  vail  that  will  hide 
us  from  each  other  is  dropping  very  softly  and  gently.  You 
will  not  grieve  for  me,  my  child?" 

"No,  no,  Uncle  Jacob;  only  for  myself,  who  will  be  so  very 
lonely  without  you. " 

But  Star  could  not  quite  keep  back  the  quiver  from  her 
voice  as  she  said  this.  He  noticed  it,  and  put  out  his  thin 
hand  to  clasp  it 

"Be  comforted,  my  darling,  with  the  thought  of  what  you 
have  made  the  last  years  of  my  life — a  season  of  peace  and 
content  Remember  always  that  without  you  I  should  have 
grcped  on  in  darkness  until  my  soul  would  literally  have  gone 
out  into  the  '  night. '  •  But  now,  as  I  have  said,  I  have  no  fear. 
No;  a  bright  vision  rises  up  before  me;  I  seem  to  see  just 
beyond  the  'great  white  throne'  of  which  you  read  only  last 
Sabbath,  and  where  sits  the  form  of  Him  who  has  taken  from 
me  all  the  guilt  of  sin  and  unbelief.  It  is  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of 
God,  and  you,  my  beloved,  by  the  gentle  influence  of  your 
beautiful  faith,  have  led  me  thither." 

Star  bent  down  and  kissed  the  pale  hand  clasping  hers,  and 
which  was  growing  cold  even  then,  while  the  tears  which  she 
could  not  restrain  fell  hotly  upon  it. 

"I  know  that  I  am  dying,"  he  went  on,  more  weakly  than 
before;  "I  know  that  this  chill  which  I  feel  creeping  over  me, 
benumbing  my  senses  and  dimming  my  sight,  is  death.  I 
know  that  soon  my  breath  must  cease,  and  that  the  King  of 
Terrors  will  cut  the  cord  which  binds  me  to  earth  and  all  I 
love  here.  But  there  is  no  terror  in  the  thought,  for  the  faith 
which  you  have  taught  me  points  me  to  the  '  radiant  vistas  of  a 
world  divine,'  where  perchance  I  may  find  among  the  ransomed 
throng  a  spirit  who  was  once  kindred  to  my  own.  Ah,  my 
darling,  dry  your  tears,  and  remember  that,  in  spite  of  this  dis 
solving  frame,  I  am  whole!  for  the  healing  hand  of  Christ  hath 


,  1 8  FAITH '  S    TRIUMPH. 

touched  me,  while  your  life,  passing  in  its  brief  transit  over 
mine,  has  been  the  instrument  of  it  all. " 

Is  this  a  sad  scene  with  which  to  close  my  story? 

Is  it  sad  to  see  the  fruits  of  a  beautiful  life,  and  to  learn  \\r.\\- 
one  faithful  soul  led  another  home  to  heaven  and  God?  Wit! 
any  one  call  such  a  triumph  as  the  passing  away  of  Jacob 
Rosevelt  sad/3 

No.    At  least  it  did  not  appear  so  to  those  who  witnessed  it. 

It  was  a  hallowed  room  where  Star  sat,  a  little  later,  and 
gazed  upon  her  dead — upon  that  brow  which  had  settled  into 
such  tranquillity — upon  that  restful,  upturned  face,  which  wore 
a  smile  "calm  as  a  twilight  lake,"  and  upon  which  "God's 
full-orbed  peace  was  shining, "  transfiguring  it  with  something 
of  the  radiance  that  had  enraptured  the  fleeting  soul. 

But  she  would  not  grieve  for  him  ;  for,  although  she  should 
never  cease  to  yearn 

" for  the  touch  of  a  vanished  hand, 

And  the  sound  of  a  voice  that  was  still," 

she  knew  that,  in  that  far-off  world  "where  the  weary  are  at 
rest,"  it  was  "well  with  him." 

And  when  they  laid  him  away  in  the  family  vault  at  Halo- 
well,  where,  too,  lay  the  moldering  form  of  her  whom  he  had 
so  loved  in  the  days  of  his  earlier  manhood,  she  did  not  mur 
mur,  for  she  felt  that  he  had  left  behind  him  a  wealth  of  faith, 
and  love,  and  trust  that  would  glorify  all  her  own  after-life,  and 
she  found  herself  repeating,  with  one  of  our  sweetest  poets : 

"  Do  men  die  thus  ?     And  is  it  this  to  die  ?'l 

All  through  the  years  that  came  and  went  in  her  beautiful 
home,  of  which  she  was  the  chief  charm,  she  carried  the  mem 
ory  and  influences  of  that  last  hour  of  Jacob  Rosevelt's  life, 
and  it  seemed  to  be  an  added  link  in  the  golden  chain  that 
bound  her  soul  to  their  common  God. 

The  thought  of  it  was  like  a  strain  of  heavenly  music,  mak- 


*AlTH*S     TRIUMPH. 


419 


ing  her  life  rich  with  melody.     It  was  like  a  breath  from  th« 
flowers  of  Paradise,  perfuming  all  around  her. 

Her  husband  worshiped  her — reverently,  as  a  gift  from  the 
Divine  Hand;  her  children  "sat  at  her  feet  and  learned  of 
her,"  and,  rising  up,  "called  her  blessed;"  while  all  who  knew 
her  likened  the  influence  of  her  lovely  example,  the  luster  and 
beauty  of  her  life,  to  the  ' '  transit "  of  some  bright  ' '  star. " 

[THE  END.] 


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